Johannesburg, 17 October 2025: The JSE Investment Challenge equips young South African investors with practical market experience through virtual R1 million portfolios. High School learners and tertiary students trade JSE-listed financial instruments under real market conditions within a simulated environment, developing hands-on skills in investment strategy and portfolio management.

Vuyo Lee, Director: Marketing and Corporate Affairs at the JSE said, "The 2025 edition of the Investment Challenge has achieved considerable milestones in promoting financial literacy among South African learners and students. With over 66,000 participants, the programme's national reach reflects our commitment to building financial literacy from the ground up. By providing a risk-free environment for learning, we're cultivating tomorrow's informed investors and financial leaders."

The initiative's reach spans all nine provinces, with notable growth in regions like Mpumalanga. University and college participation included 7,700 students across 3,094 teams from 110 institutions, while 859 schools fielded roughly 17,850 teams during the competition period from 17 March to 19 September 2025. The annual competition offers R1 million in investment vouchers along with an international stock exchange visit for tertiary-level winners. 

This year brought significant changes as Mpumelelo Secondary School's remarkable run of success in the Income Portfolio Top 5 continued yet made way for fresh contenders. Giba Mahlangu of Hoërskool Birchleigh achieved recognition for guiding winning teams from four different schools. In the ETF/ETN Game, Brett Thomson and David Thomson of the University of Pretoria maintained their excellence, appearing in the top three for a second consecutive year. 

“The Investment Challenge remains an influential platform in fostering financial stewardship among South African youth, offering opportunities for practical learning and extracurricular achievement for students and learners nationwide,” concluded Lee.

The JSE continues to expand its educational initiatives through programmes like the Virtual Trading Game (VTG) and SheInvests. This year's VTG emphasised Technology and Digital Finance, Artificial Intelligence and fraud prevention, and #SheInvests continues to empower women in South Africa to improve their financial decision-making. 

Teams can register electronically for next year’s Investment Challenge on https://schools.jse.co.za and https://university.jse.co.za/.

Overall annual winners of the 2025 Investment Challenge are:

Schools Income Portfolio Winners

1st: Cheslin Kolbe 1st Try -HSB, Hoërskool l Birchleigh, Gauteng

2nd: BBM honorable traders, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga

3rd: BBM the survivors, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga

4th: The Real Builders- HSB, Hoërskool Birchleigh, Gauteng

5th: BBM the trade treasures, Mpumelelo Secondary School, Mpumalanga

Schools Equity Portfolio Winners

1st: X Capital, Ashton International College Benoni, Gauteng

2nd: Boiler Room, Kearsney College, KwaZulu-Natal

3rd: Assets, De La Salle Holy Cross College, Gauteng

4th: Dominator Squad, Lethukuthula Secondary School, Gauteng

5th: Forever Winners, Lethukuthula Secondary School, Gauteng

Schools Speculator Portfolio Winners

1st: Renaissance Traders, Kingswood College, Eastern Cape

2nd: JAE - Penny Pinchers, Parel Vallei High School, Western Cape

3rd: Stock Exchange Gurus, Lethukuthula Secondary School, Gauteng

4th: Jade Hustlers, Stellenberg High School, Western Cape

5th: Kings of the hill, Ashton International College Benoni, Gauteng

Schools ETF/ETN Portfolio Winners

1st: BGC – Skillies, Hoërskool Stellenbosch, Western Cape

2nd: YNS - The Trading Titans, Wynberg Girls' High School, Western Cape

3rd: YNS - Invest Techs, Wynberg Girls' High School, Western Cape

4th: YNS - Wealth Wizards, Wynberg Girls' High School, Western Cape

5th: Solomon Investors, Waterfall College, KwaZulu-Natal

University Speculator Portfolio Winners

1st: Investment X, University of the Western Cape, Western Cape

2nd: ABS5-Pierpoint & Ho, University of Cape Town, Western Cape

3rd: Bullish, Stellenbosch University, Western Cape

University ETF/ETN Portfolio Winners

1st: UP Capital, University of Pretoria, Gauteng

2nd: UP Assegai, University of Pretoria, Gauteng

3rd: Alea Iacta Est, Stellenbosch University, Gauteng

ENDS

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