BitMEX launches year-end trading contest with 3.5 BTC prize pool
BitMEX has opened a year‑end trading competition running from 18 December 2025 (00:00 UTC) to 16 January 2026 (23:59 UTC). The promotion offers a total prize pool of 3.5 BTC (3 BTC base pool plus 0.5 BTC allocated to lottery-style rewards) and five Sony PlayStation 5 Pro consoles. Prizes are distributed across three leaderboards: Highest Trading Volume (80% of the BTC pool split among the top 100 traders), Highest PnL (10% split among top 100) and Highest ROI% (10% split among top 100). Participation requires completed KYC (full verification) on BitMEX. The announcement reiterates BitMEX’s focus on professional crypto derivatives trading, low-latency execution, and its twice-weekly on‑chain Proof of Reserves and Proof of Liabilities disclosures. The release is posted as a sponsored announcement and is not investment advice. Traders should note leaderboard rules, KYC requirements and prize split mechanics before participating.
Neutral
This announcement is unlikely to have a direct, sustained price impact on BTC. Trading competitions tend to increase short-term trading volume and order flow on the hosting exchange, which can raise volatility for short periods but do not materially change supply-side fundamentals for Bitcoin. The 3.5 BTC prize pool is small relative to global BTC market liquidity, so any net buying or selling tied to prize distribution is likely immaterial. Short-term effects: modest uptick in volume and intraday volatility on BitMEX, potentially creating brief trading opportunities and wider spreads. Long-term effects: none expected — the contest is promotional and does not alter on‑chain fundamentals or macro demand drivers. Traders should consider increased liquidity and potential order-book noise while the contest runs, and ensure compliance with KYC and leaderboard rules when estimating trading costs.