Gamified Stock Trading Simulator for Financial Literacy in Teenagers with Algorithmic Trading

This paper documents the complete design, development, and implementation of a gamified stock trading simulator created to enhance financial literacy among teenagers aged 13–18. The system provides a fully virtual trading environment that mirrors real-world stock market behavior while eliminating financial risk. Users learn stock fundamentals, portfolio construction, risk management, and introductory algorithmic trading concepts through interactive gameplay, structured tutorials, and transparent system feedback. The platform is implemented as a full-stack web application using React with TypeScript on the frontend, Node.js on the backend, and a MySQL relational database for persistent storage. Real-time Indian stock market data is integrated through free public APIs to maintain realism. Unlike conventional simulators, the proposed system emphasizes explainability by detailing why trades occur, which indicators are triggered, and how risk is managed. The paper further explains implementation decisions, system architecture, algorithms, evaluation methodology, and future extensibility.