IFTC Opens Competition Framework to Industry Collaboration, Introduces Annual Top 100 Ranking
Released on: Friday, 28 Aug 2026 3:07PM
IFTC’s recognitions from The Malaysia Book of Records, ASEAN Records and Asia Records reflect its progression from a Malaysian initiative to a platform with broader regional standing.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- The International Financial Trading Championship (IFTC) is opening its competition framework to wider industry collaboration, allowing eligible organisations and trading communities to organise competitions under a common performance standard while connecting participants to an annual Top 100 ranking ecosystem.
The move marks the next stage of IFTC’s development following its record recognition at the Malaysia, ASEAN and Asia levels, as the championship evolves from organising individual competitions towards building a more open and collaborative ecosystem.
Operating under the institutional governance of the International Financial Consultant Certified Institute (IFCCI), IFTC said the model is based on a simple concept — different competitions can maintain their own identity while eligible performance is measured through a common framework.
Different Competitions, One Common Standard
Under the framework, IFTC does not need to directly organise every competition. Eligible organisations and trading communities may collaborate with IFTC to develop co-branded competitions for their respective participants while adopting the applicable IFTC competition and performance framework.
Partners may retain their own competition identity, format and prize structure, subject to applicable requirements. This allows an individual competition to produce its own winners and prize pool, while eligible participants may simultaneously generate performance results that qualify for recognition within the wider IFTC ecosystem.
IFCCI President Prof. Dato’ Dr. Kingston Chang said the model was designed around collaboration rather than centralising competitions under a single organiser.
“The objective is not for IFTC to own every competition. We want to create a framework where different organisations and communities can organise meaningful competitions while participants are connected through a common performance standard.
“Different competitions, one common standard and one annual ranking — that is the ecosystem we are building,” Chang said.
A 30-Day Pathway to the Annual Top 100
At the centre of the ecosystem is the IFTC Annual Top 100 Ranking. Unlike a ranking generated from a single competition, the Top 100 is designed to evolve throughout the year as eligible results from different qualifying competitions are recorded.
To qualify for consideration, a participant must establish an eligible Trader Performance Index (TPI) record covering a minimum performance period of 30 days, subject to IFTC’s competition and ranking requirements.
As new qualifying performances enter the ecosystem throughout the year, positions within the Top 100 may change. A trader participating in an eligible co-branded competition may therefore compete for both the awards or prize pool of that competition and a potential position within the IFTC Annual Top 100.
The model creates a continuous pathway where multiple competitions can contribute towards one wider annual performance ecosystem.
Creating Opportunities Through Collaboration
IFTC Organising Chairman Kayden Chiew said opening the framework allows different industry participants to organise competitions without having to develop an entirely new competition ecosystem independently.
“Every community is different. Competitions may have different identities, participants and prize structures, but what connects them is the performance framework.
“For traders, this creates more opportunities to compete throughout the year. For organisers, it creates an opportunity to develop their own competition while connecting participants to a wider ranking ecosystem,” Chiew said. IFTC believes this model can create multiple entry points for traders while allowing participating organisations to maintain their own identity.
IFTC Open: An Accessible Pathway
Alongside co-branded competitions, IFTC will continue developing the IFTC Open as an accessible pathway for the wider trading community. Eligible participants can establish TPI performance through the Open and compete for recognition within the same annual ranking framework.
Selected editions may also incorporate charitable and social-impact initiatives, allowing participation to contribute towards wider community causes. While partner competitions may establish their own prize pools and awards, the IFTC Open is intended to provide a broader entry point into the IFTC performance ecosystem.
Whether performance is generated through an eligible partner competition or IFTC Open, qualifying results will be assessed according to the applicable IFTC performance and ranking requirements.
From Annual Ranking to a Physical Championship
The annual cycle is intended to culminate in a year-end physical championship, bringing leading performers from the IFTC ecosystem into a common competition environment.
The pathway is straightforward:
Compete. Demonstrate Performance. Enter the Ranking. Rise to the Top 100. Meet at the Final.
Further details on qualification, ranking cut-off dates and the year-end championship will be announced progressively under the applicable competition rules.
For IFTC, the larger objective is to create an ecosystem where traders can repeatedly demonstrate their capabilities, organisers can build competitions for their own communities and eligible performance can extend beyond the boundaries of a single event.
Building an Open Ecosystem From Malaysia
Chang said IFTC’s Malaysia, ASEAN and Asia record achievements established the championship’s track record, while its next stage is about making that foundation more collaborative and scalable.
“We have demonstrated participation and scale. The next question is how we turn that experience into an ecosystem that creates opportunities for more people and organisations.
“IFTC should not grow only because we organise more competitions ourselves. It should grow because credible organisers and communities can participate, collaborate and build together under transparent standards,” he said.
IFTC believes the model can progressively support wider collaboration across Malaysia and the Asian trading community.
Its longer-term objective is to establish an ecosystem where different organisers can create different competitions, traders can access multiple opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities, and measurable performance can be recognised beyond a single event.
“Competition creates winners. A framework can build an ecosystem,” Chang said.
Source: International Financial Trading Championship (IFTC)
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--BERNAMA