Johannesburg, 6 October 2025: The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) championed financial education with its Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy market open, today. This flagship event, organised by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) and the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), marked the opening of World Investor Week (WIW) and underscored the JSE's commitment to advancing financial literacy across South Africa.

The World Investor Week (WIW) programme is run globally from 6-12 October and brings together exchanges worldwide to promote investor education and protection, with this year's focus being on Technology and Digital Finance, Artificial Intelligence, and Fraud and Scam Prevention.

A highlight of the ceremony at the JSE was the announcement of winners from the JSE's Virtual Trading Game (VTG), a JSE financial literacy programme that educates South Africans about investing and its economic impact. These top performers have won a share of R380 000 in investment vouchers, enabling them to further their financial education and access. 

The winners of the 2025 Speculator Portfolio Virtual Trading Game:

1st: Brandley Minords (Gauteng)

2nd: Brandon Baatjies (Western Province)

3rd: Alvin Larkin (KwaZulu-Natal)

The winners of the ETF/ETN Portfolio Virtual Trading Game:

1st: Juan du Plessis (Gauteng)

2nd: Thabo Molingoane (Free State)

3rd: Tiaane Lotter (Western Cape)

Vuyo Lee, JSE Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs congratulated the winners and added that the JSE was proud to continue its work to broaden the Virtual Trading Game’s footprint in South Africa.

“These participants are worthy winners and have grown their financial literacy skills using virtual funds in a risk-free simulation environment. They also developed practical skills in investing and trading JSE-listed financial instruments, while learning fundamental trading principles and strategy development.” 

During this year’s World Investor Week, the JSE is highlighting the rising threat of investor scams, including deepfake videos and fraudulent platforms misusing its branding. The JSE has responded to the threat by strengthening investor protection through public alerts, digital literacy campaigns like "Stop. Think. Don't Get Scammed" and broker verification tool to identify legitimate investments. 

“We are proud to stand side-by-side with the JSE in promoting financial literacy because these aren’t abstract themes; they are the forces that shape how people interact with money. Ringing this bell is more than symbolic, it’s a call to action to champion financial literacy and encourage responsible engagement with digital financial platforms,” said ​​Lyndwill Clarke, Head: Consumer Education at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA).

Vuyo Lee continued to underscored the JSE’s multifaceted approach to empowering South Africans with the knowledge and tools to make informed financial decisions. 

Flagship initiatives such as the JSE Investment Challenge and SheInvests, which promotes financial independence among women, continue to expand access to investment education and deepens its outreach to, ensuring that financial literacy is not a privilege but a shared national asset. 

These efforts reflect the JSE’s broader mission: to entrench financial literacy and broaden access to investment education enabling an inclusive, secure and transparent financial ecosystem where every South African can participate with confidence.

Lee concluded, "These programmes reflect our vision of becoming Africa's leading socially responsible exchange. The Virtual Trading Game has expanded opportunities for individuals interested in trading, while our Investment Challenge continues to see increased participation each year, demonstrating South Africans' growing appetite for investment knowledge."

ENDS

ABOUT THE JSE

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has a well-established history of operating as a marketplace for trading financial products. It is a pioneering, globally connected exchange group that enables inclusive economic growth through trusted, world-class, socially responsible products, and services for the investor of the future. It offers secure and efficient primary and secondary capital markets across a diverse range of securities, spanning equities, derivatives, and debt markets. It prides itself on being the market of choice for local and international investors looking to gain exposure to leading capital markets on the African continent.

The JSE is currently ranked in the Top 20 largest stock exchanges in the world by market capitalisation, and is the largest stock exchange in Africa, having been in operation for 137 years. As a leading global exchange, the JSE co-creates unlocks value & makes real connections happen. www.jse.co.za 

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