In a market where volatility is the drug of choice and conviction separates the killers from the clerks, CEO.CA unleashed the 2025 $10K Stock Picking Contest, a no-apologies, high-octane showdown where only those willing to swing for the fences showed up.
When the closing bell rang on December 31, 2025 at 4:00 PM EST, 3,282 traders had put their reputations, egos, and market instincts on the line, battling for $10,000 in prizes and the kind of bragging rights that don’t fade with the next quarter.
This wasn’t a participation trophy contest.
This was eat what you kill.
The Alpha Emerges
Standing on top of the leaderboard, chest out and smiling, is @laghorn, ripping off a +617% return and reminding everyone why this game rewards aggression.
Their weapons of choice were simple and effective:
• $ESM (+580%)
• $LUM (+168%)
• $SCZ (+1,103%)
No hedging. No apologies. Just execution.
FULL CONTEST RESULTS
By the numbers, this was pure chaos, the good kind.
A total of 9,847 stock picks were fired across the TSXV, TSX, CSE, CBOE, NASDAQ, NYSE, OTCQX/QB, and ASX, representing 1,836 unique plays. That’s not diversification, that’s a trading floor running on caffeine and conviction.
The most heavily trafficked tickers were $EMO, $QNC, $MATE, $MDMA, $NICU, $NILI, $QIMC, $FAN, $PAU, and $HPQ, with $EMO leading the charge at 185 picks.
The Top 10 names alone accounted for 1,099 total picks, proving once again that when money starts moving, it moves fast and together.
The Tape Didn’t Lie
This year, Metals and Mining ran the show, soaking up 57.66% of all picks.
And then there were the monsters.
$HG (+1,311%), $LVX (+1,280%), $USA (+1,157%), and the ever-present $SCZ (+1,103%) didn’t just outperform, they rewrote portfolios and carried traders straight up the leaderboard.
This wasn’t about being right.
It was about being early and being loud.
Also Sitting in the Corner Office
• @GoldSilverAI (+603.33%)
• @baggerx99 (+589%)
• @Silversurfer (+584.33%)
• @NorthernTrader (+576.44%)
• @Indianaprospector (+570%)
These weren’t lucky punches. These were calculated swings with size behind them.
Of course, not everyone rang the bell.
A nod to @Tinleyboy (-87.33%), @UEFA (-88%), and @freetogo (-92.33%), who took their shots, missed, and wore it. That’s the cost of admission. Anyone can talk risk, few actually pay it.
For the full leaderboard and to see exactly where YOU landed, head here:
👉 https://ceo.ca/content/contests
SPOILS OF VICTORY
The Top 50 traders will split $10,000 worth of CEO.CA prizes, courtesy of EarthLabs, Inc. (TSXV: $SPOT, $SPOFF.US).
Cash. CEO PRO. Status.
Winners will be contacted directly, with official announcements rolling out later this week!
WHAT’S NEXT
The 2025 contest is on the books, but the 2026 contest has just started. The 2026 leaderboard will be dropping in a few days.
Monthly giveaways. Mini contests. The Summer Survivor Series.
This isn’t just another year in the market.
This is where reputations get made.
Stay tuned for more action in #StockPickingContest.
