TradeMania or when trading becomes a game

Posted on 2025 Feb,04 | By ArabAd's staff

With the vision to redefine trading by adding an exhilarating gaming element, Julien Trad, founder and CEO of TradeMania, a trading gaming company, discusses how stepping into trading, one of the most complex spaces, was not an easy choice, but the right one.

How would you like to introduce yourself?
Let’s keep that for LinkedIn. What matters is that I’m someone who’s always driven to explore new ideas, challenge the norm, and push boundaries. It’s that mindset that led me to leave a 14-year career in advertising, supported by my financial engineering background, to gamify trading.

Who I am is also shaped by those around me: my father, Najib Trad, the godfather of outdoor advertising, who taught me integrity and connection; my wife, Dima Zaytoun, a media leader who keeps me grounded and focused; and my two boys, Jude and Raja, who inspire me to build a future with meaningful games—games that teach everyone the most important skill we never learned in school: practical money skills.

There’s more, but let’s stick to the word count.

What prompted you to leave a 14-year advertising career to gamify trading?
I saw an outdated and inaccessible industry, ready for disruption, and decided to take it head-on. Stepping into trading, one of the most complex spaces, was not an easy choice, but it was the right one. If you want to build something new, you start where no one else dares to look.

Here’s the thing about advertising: it’s all about people—what excites them, what drives them, and how to connect.

That’s when the idea for TradeMania was born—to revolutionize trading education, an area stagnant for decades. Games make learning faster, more rewarding, and practical. We simplify complex concepts, helping players turn theoretical knowledge into real-world skills in a risk-free, engaging, and fun way.

What role did the Global Games Show play in bringing your vision to life?

We’ve attended trading summits and expos before, but this one was different. The Global Games Show gave us a unique platform to connect directly with gamers—our core audience. It was the perfect stage to launch our UAE operations and showcase how leaderboards, tournaments, and community-driven progress are disrupting the trading world.

With 67% of adults lacking financial literacy and traditional platforms failing to evolve, the need for change is clear. The show allowed us to demonstrate that gamification can bridge this gap.

The response was incredible. More than just presenting a product, it sparked conversations on how innovation can break barriers.

“If you want to build something new, you start where no one else dares to look.”

What have been your biggest milestone so far?

Building TradeMania wasn’t easy. Traders thought we were “too playful,” and gamers found trading intimidating. Striking that balance took time, but the breakthrough came when we were officially listed as a game on Google Play and Apple’s App Store. That badge wasn’t just validation; it made a bold statement about who we are and what we’re here to do.

Today, with over 1,000 active players, we’re proving that trading can be social, engaging, and rewarding. And we’re just getting started. Our vision is ambitious: to become the Olympics of Trading. We’ve launched the UAE’s first official trading championship, where players compete for TM coins, leaderboard spots, and bragging rights.

What’s next for TradeMania?

While expansion is at the heart of what we want to do, our focus is on improving retention rates and maximizing engagement. By leveraging AI to deliver personalized journeys, we’re building a platform that keeps players coming back—ready to learn, compete, and grow. What if trading could be a safe place to fail, learn, and try again—just like any great game? At TradeMania, we’re proving that sometimes the best way to win is by daring to play.