Since he first began learning about economics in middle school, senior Krish Balkee has held an interest in the different functions surrounding the field. Fascinated by the rapidly changing economy, Balkee first began his journey with stock trading as an eighth grader when his dad created a Fidelity account that he could use to practice trading.
With his dad closely monitoring his actions, Balkee learned about the world of stocks, but he longed for the freedom that could not be achieved using his dad’s account. However, understanding the risks associated with trading and the illegality of underage accounts, Balkee sought a service that would enable him to continue honing his economic skills as a student without putting his life savings at risk. Ultimately, Balkee took this problem into his own hands, creating his own website that allows students to buy and trade stocks with no financial commitment: Phantom Stocks Paper Trading.
With the help of co-founders Kevin Sun and Shayan Ahmadi, Balkee was able to develop a functioning service that allows economics enthusiasts to learn the techniques behind stock trading and enjoy an authentic experience without the risk of real-world trading. “When Krish asked me if I wanted to help him with his project, I immediately said yes because I’ve been trying to expand my portfolio ever since the start of high school; I just never had the funding to do so,” Sun said.
Upon creating an account, users on the website will be granted $10,000 in virtual capital as they begin their trading journey. Over time, as certain stocks rise and fall, students can track their performance using analytics that monitor users’ gains, losses, and trading patterns, allowing them to learn what works best for them.
Users have the option to invest in over 100 different stocks, and the website integrates real-time market data to ensure the most realistic trading experience. The website is even updated with market news surrounding the stock market that students can choose to read about. “We want to make the experience as realistic as possible to ensure that when our traders are old enough to begin transactions with real money, they are equipped with the skills to handle it,” Balkee said.
As the website’s ultimate focus is creating a strong, educational experience, students also have the option to work through up to nine educational content modules as they refine their skills. Modules range from beginner to advanced level and cover topics as diverse as reading charts to trading psychology. “At the end of the day, the goal is to learn, so we have tried our best to create the most educational experience possible, through both theoretical and practical learning tactics,” Sun said.
During the website’s development, Balkee handled the bulk of the coding and configuration, while Sun was the main contributor in creating the educational modules. Ahmadi’s main responsibility was to gain popularity and find potential users for the simulator by posting on social media.
The website officially launched on Nov. 20, 2025, and people can learn more or use the simulator for themselves at phantomstockspapertrading.com or contact the team of economists behind the service at their email: [email protected]. “We worked very hard on it, and we are super happy with the way it turned out,” Ahmadi said.
