Gate's WCTC S9 advertises a prize pool of up to 6 million USDT, but the top tier depends on reaching an eligible-trader threshold. Product multipliers and account exclusions shape who can qualify.
Registration opened at 16:00 UTC+8 on Oct. 9, 2026, and the contest's top prize tier still depends on how many traders meet Gate's eligibility rules. The advertised 6 million USDT is a ceiling, not a guaranteed payout. Dynamic pools rise with the number of eligible traders, alongside a separate fixed activity pool.
WCTC, short for World Crypto Trading Competition, combines spot and derivatives trading with contests built around other markets. Its rules determine rankings and rewards on Gate, unlike cross-chain infrastructure such as the cross-chain systems covered in a separate context. Gate presented the ninth season on Oct. 9, 2026, as a multi-asset competition. Spot and ETFs are included, as are Convert and stocks. Futures and TradFi products also feature. Registration is scheduled to close at 16:00 UTC+8 on Oct. 26, with trading set to run from Oct. 26 to Nov. 25, 2026. Individual and team contests run alongside a separate BTC/USDT Event Contracts PK track.
More than 21,000 users had registered in the first 24 hours, and 2,454 teams had formed, Odaily reported. Those figures do not show how many traders qualify for the prize-pool thresholds. That count requires eligible participation, not registration alone.
Prize tiers
The S9 maximum combines dynamic Team, Individual and PK pools with 2 million USDT in fixed activity rewards. At the base tier, the listed total is 2.05 million USDT: 40,000 for teams, 5,000 for individuals and 5,000 for PK, plus 2 million in fixed pools. At 200,000 eligible traders, the total rises to 4.2 million. The top tier requires at least 500,000 eligible traders. It lists 3.2 million for teams, 400,000 for individuals and 400,000 for PK, plus the same 2 million fixed pool, for a total of 6 million USDT.
These are tier amounts, not cumulative additions. The highest tier reached applies. An eligible trader is a registered user who records at least 5,000 USDT in cumulative weighted volume during the competition period. Each user counts once. The fixed pool includes WCTC Lucky Launchpad and WCTC All-Market Trading Carnival, as well as other activity rewards. Those task-based pools do not replace the main rankings. Announced fixed rewards include 725,000 USDT for Lucky Launchpad. The activity pool is 1 million USDT, with another 275,000 USDT in fixed bonuses.
The team pool is split 45% and 55% between the two halves of the competition. Within that pool, 60% goes to overall weighted volume. CFD volume receives 20%, while valid profit receives the remaining 20%. The overall champion team's captain also gets a physical gold medal valued at 30,000 USDT, not a 30,000 USDT cash payment. Individual and PK rankings cover the full competition window. Individual places 301 through 1,000 share a separate nominal 60,000 USDT Futures Position Trial Voucher pool.
How volume counts
Weighted volume converts eligible trading notional into USDT equivalents, applies a multiplier for each product, then adds the results. Under S9's stated formula, Spot and ETF count at 150%. Convert also counts at 150%. Stocks and Event Contracts count at 200%, while Futures count at 100%. Options count at 50%, and CFDs at 5%. For the same notional, a stock or Event Contracts trade contributes more weighted volume than a Futures trade. A CFD trade contributes substantially less.
The calculation varies by leaderboard. Team overall weighted volume excludes CFDs, while the Individual overall board includes the CFD component. Dedicated CFD boards use valid, unweighted volume. Task thresholds follow the product named in each task, rather than the combined weighted total. Canceled orders and transfers generally do not count.
That distinction matters when participants compare progress across products. A combined volume figure may not show where someone stands on a specific board or activity. In S9, the separate Event Contracts PK ranks wins and points from five-minute Up/Down markets played within 30-minute rounds. Participants are randomly paired in successive five-minute markets and earn points based on wins. Lucky Launchpad and the All-Market Trading Carnival track task completion instead. Their sub-activity pools are already included in the Carnival total, not added to the dynamic pools.
Entry and account limits
Logging in and visiting the event page can trigger registration. For Lucky Launchpad, opening the page grants one free launch. Clicking to participate auto-registers the user. Identity verification is required to claim rewards. Gate excludes API users and VIP 15+ users. Market makers are also barred, along with corporate or institutional accounts and sub-accounts. Multiple accounts under one verified identity count as one participant. Sub-account volume generally does not count toward the main account.
Team entry has its own constraint: public team boards require five members. Once a team reaches five members, it cannot be disbanded or left. Teams below applicable thresholds may show activity data without appearing in public rankings. Final results are subject to backend review and may be delayed. Wash trading or collusion can lead to disqualification and loss of rewards. Linked-account matching can also trigger those penalties. Product availability may vary by region.
The competition includes leveraged Futures and Options, along with Event Contracts. Losses can be amplified, and liquidation is possible. Gate's advertised pool does not promise any participant a reward; the applicable season rules govern final standings and claims. The 6 million USDT figure is the maximum S9 tier, contingent on reaching the eligible-trader threshold.
Weighted volume measures scoring, not profit or trading quality. A multiplier changes how much qualifying notional contributes to a leaderboard; it does not reduce the financial risk of a trade. Team and individual modules use different scoring rules. PK and task modules have their own requirements, so one volume total does not apply across every board. Participants must check the relevant board and product-specific rules.
