I’m currently using the simulator on investopedia. But I only have $28,568.88 CASH, $64,581.83 BUYING POWER and $100,594.78 ACCOUNT VALUE.
So when does investopedia pay virtual money?
The correct answer and explanation is :
On Investopedia’s stock simulator, virtual cash is credited to your account immediately when you create a new game or join an existing one, based on the default or custom amount set by the game’s administrator. Investopedia does not pay virtual money on a recurring basis like a salary or allowance. Instead, all the virtual cash is deposited upfront.
Explanation (300 words):
The Investopedia Stock Simulator is an educational tool designed to help users practice investing in a risk-free environment. When you join or create a new game on the simulator, you are allocated a certain amount of virtual cash — typically \$100,000 by default. This cash is available for trading in stocks, ETFs, and options, and the account tracks your gains and losses in real-time.
Your CASH balance represents uninvested virtual dollars — money that is not currently tied up in open positions. Your BUYING POWER reflects the total amount you can use to purchase securities, which may include leverage depending on game settings (though some games turn off margin trading). The ACCOUNT VALUE is the sum of your cash and the market value of your open positions.
The simulator does not pay out virtual money over time (e.g., weekly or monthly deposits). However, you may see changes in your account value due to:
- Profits or losses on trades you’ve made.
- Dividends from stocks, which are sometimes simulated and added as virtual cash.
- Margin and interest effects (if the game settings allow for it).
- Game restarts or resets (administrators can reset portfolios during custom games).
If your cash is lower than the original amount, it may mean you’ve invested a portion of it in securities or incurred losses. Your buying power might be higher than your cash due to leverage/margin settings or because you’ve closed trades and now have more room to buy again.
So, to clarify: Investopedia pays (credits) virtual money once when you join a game. There are no automatic recurring virtual payments afterward unless the game admin manually adjusts settings or resets the game.