Bridging Data and Finance: NTU Team Among Global Finalists in Algo Trading Challenge
Two NTU students combined their strengths in computing and finance to reach the finals of the Algo Trading Challenge 2025, a global competition that spotlights the next generation of quantitative-finance talent.
The team, comprising Liaw Rui Xian, a Year 3 CCDS student majoring in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and Ong Zi Yan, a Year 2 NBS student studying Applied Computing in Finance, represented NTU among more than 800 participants from 49 countries. Their achievement placed NTU alongside leading universities such as Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, NUS and HKUST.
Organised by the Algo Challenge Association in partnership with Money20/20 Middle East and supported by Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority, the competition challenges students to design, test and pitch algorithmic-trading strategies that perform under real-market conditions. For the 2025 edition, finalists were invited to Riyadh for the global showcase held alongside Money20/20, one of the world’s largest fintech events. NTU’s participation was made possible through the joint support of CCDS and NBS, which funded the team’s travel and participation costs.
Rui Xian and Zi Yan first met through a mutual friend and previously collaborated in the WorldQuant International Quant Championship, where they discovered a shared passion for quantitative finance. Motivated to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios, the duo focused their strategy on equity trading, developing a simple, data-driven model based solely on price data. As newcomers to algorithmic trading, they relied on an iterative process of backtesting and refinement, using AI tools to generate ideas and improve performance. Their disciplined approach paid off, earning them a place among the global finalists.
For Rui Xian, competing with teams from top global universities was both inspiring and instructive. The experience broadened his understanding of trading models and revealed how diverse analytical approaches could be applied to financial markets. He also learned the importance of collaboration and clear communication in building effective strategies — qualities that strengthened the team’s partnership throughout the challenge.
He credited the financial support from CCDS and NBS as vital to their journey, enabling them to travel and represent NTU at the finals in Riyadh. The opportunity, he shared, reflected the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning and global exposure.
“Reaching the finals was a proud moment that shaped my career aspirations,” Rui Xian said.
The competition reaffirmed Rui Xian’s passion for quantitative finance and strengthened his resolve to pursue a career in the field. Since then, he has continued to take part in related projects and hopes to build a stronger quantitative-finance community within NTU.
His journey reflects the CCDS spirit of exploration and collaboration — where data and finance intersect, and where students are empowered to turn ideas into real-world impact.
