WhiteBIT Announces Winner of First Global Cryptocurrency Trading Competition
Going for Gold: The International Crypto Trading Cup by WhiteBIT
Last week, WhiteBIT, Europe's largest crypto exchange by traffic, crowned Ukraine's Max Hamaha as the top trader in ICTC 2025, the platform's first-ever global cryptocurrency trading tournament. broadcasted live worldwide.
The two-day event, held on May 9 and 10, brought together eight elite crypto traders to battle it out in real-time, with the competition streamed globally. Each participant started with 50,000 USDTB, WhiteBIT's internal asset for futures trading, and traded for twelve hours, six hours each day. In total, they executed a whopping 269 trades.
Max Hamaha, who ranked last on the first day, staged a dramatic comeback on the second day to claim victor's honors. His impressive offence on Ethereum netted him a realized Profit and Loss (rPNL) of 7,488.84 USDT, securing him the title of the first-ever ICTC Champion.
One of the highlights of the tournament was a fierce duel between Hamaha and Dutch Merlijn The Trader, who finished second with an rPNL of 6,745.96 USDT. Ukrainian EXCAVO came in third with an rPNL of 4,098.90 USDT.
In another show of skill and strategy, Malik Roth Klindt Jensen, better known as Coinvo, notched up ICTC's single-largest gain with a 12,249 USDT profit on an ETH-PERP position. Conversely, the tournament's largest single loss, also on the ETH-PERP pair, totaled a hefty loss of 10,725 USDT.
As the ICTC champion, Hamaha's name was displayed on LED boards during El Clásico, one of the world's most-watched football matches and an official partner of WhiteBIT. This marked the first time that a trading competition winner had been featured in such a traditional sporting event.
The ICTC tournament, which attracted thousands of spectators, marked a significant step towards establishing crypto trading as a spectator sport, on a par with traditional e-sports. Hamaha shared his thoughts, stating, "trading live on stage was an incredibly intense and exciting experience. I had to adapt my usual approach to fit the tournament rules, but it was more fun than I ever imagined. In a few years, I can envision crypto trading tournaments rivaling popular games like Dota 2."
Over 3,000 participants, both aspiring and experienced traders, gained valuable insights into professional trading techniques during the ICTC 2025 event. Marc Principato, one of the hosts of the tournament and a market technician, recognized the event's educational value: "The unique ICTC offers priceless lessons for traders at any level, as participants witnessed a diverse range of trading strategies in action. Aspiring traders can take away practical knowledge that they can apply to their own approach."
WhiteBIT is already planning for the next installment of the tournament, with registration now open for ICTC 2026, which invites traders from around the globe to compete, connect, and make history.
Top Traders Unite: The Inside Scoop on ICTC Tournament Structure and Rules- Structure: The ICTC tournament features a qualifying stage and a main stage, allowing both seasoned and novice traders to compete for a chance to make it to the main event.- Main Stage: During the main stage, traders share a starting balance of 50,000 USDTB, WhiteBIT's internal asset for futures trading. The trader with the most effective strategy takes home the victory.- Squads: ICTC includes teams of 25 participants each, offering a team-based competition aspect.- Eligibility: To participate, traders must register on WhiteBIT, complete the KYC process, and confirm their tournament Sub-Account creation. Participants must also execute a minimum of 10 trades with a trading volume of at least 20,000 USDT to be eligible for rewards.- Financial monitoring: All trader activities are monitored in real-time, and all transactions are validated after trades are completed to ensure compliance with tournament rules.- Engagement: In addition, the tournament includes voting for fan-favorite squads and predicting the main stage winner's trading score or total liquidations, allowing spectators to engage and win prizes.- Transparency and Fairness: The ICTC emphasizes professionalism, fairness, and transparency, ensuring compliance with rules through real-time monitoring and post-trade validation.
The International Crypto Trading Cup (ICTC) by WhiteBIT, a global cryptocurrency trading tournament, showcases not only the strategic skills of elite crypto traders but also the advancement of blockchain technology in sports. With the tournament structure and rules designed for both seasoned and novice traders, the ICTC aims to foster a competitive yet educational environment. Traders on the main stage, including Max Hamaha, the first-ever ICTC Champion, start with a shared balance of 50,000 USDTB and battle it out in real-time, using the technology-backed futures trading asset of WhiteBIT. The tournament's transparency and fairness, combined with spectator engagement opportunities, mark a significant step towards cementing crypto trading as a spectator sport on a par with traditional e-sports and popular games such as Dota 2.
