Headway Trading Contest: Rules, Prizes and How It Worked

The Headway Trading Contest was a holiday promotion that combined trading activity, a raffle and a Christmas tree decoration mini-game. Traders could earn raffle tickets and decoration coins through their trading volume and completed tasks, with a prize pool of more than $100,000 and over 1,000 winners. The contest is now closed, but its structure and rules are still useful when you compare promotions from any broker.

Important update: the final raffle was scheduled for January 22, 2026 at 13:00 MT time. That date has passed, so you can no longer enter. The information below is kept as a reference for how the promotion was structured. For any current or future contests, check Headway's official website directly.

Headway Trading Contest Overview

The contest ran around the New Year 2026 period and was built around three activities: trading, completing tasks and decorating a virtual Christmas tree. Each activity produced a different reward. Raffle tickets gave you a chance to win the main prizes, while decoration coins were used to buy items in the mini-game. The best decorated tree could also win a separate special prize.

This structure is common among broker promotions. Rewards are tied to trading volume, which encourages participation, but it also means the contest rewarded activity rather than skill or profitability. Understanding that difference is the key to judging whether a promotion is worth your time.

Prize Pool and Main Prizes

The published prize pool was $100,000 or more, shared across more than 1,000 winners. The main prizes were drawn in the raffle on January 22, 2026. The full list was as follows:

Separately, the best decorated Christmas tree in the mini-game was eligible for a special prize: a real Christmas tree from Headway for 2027. This prize was not part of the main raffle, so it was judged on design rather than on ticket count.

How the Headway Trading Contest Worked, Step by Step

The contest followed five steps. Participation required joining the promotion first, so traders who skipped the sign-up step could not earn tickets or coins.

1. Join the contest. Click Join in your Personal Area to take part.
2. Decorate your tree. Earn coins and spend them on decorations in the mini-game.
3. Trade more. The more you trade, the more tickets and coins you earn.
4. Complete tasks. Finish special tasks to receive extra tickets.
5. Win in the raffle. Tickets were entered into the draw on January 22, 2026 for a chance at the main prizes.

Earning Raffle Tickets and Coins in the Contest

Rewards came from three sources: trading, tasks and, for partners, client activity. The table below summarises the published rates.

Trading Rewards

Trading rewards were calculated by volume. At the published rates, every 0.05 lot traded earned one raffle ticket, and every 0.01 lot earned 10 coins. Because tickets were tied to lot size rather than profit, a trade that lost money still counted toward your total, as long as it met the volume requirement. This is one of the most important details to understand about any volume-based contest.

Task Rewards

Tasks offered extra tickets and coins on top of trading. The published examples included leaving reviews, copying strategies, buying NOVA tokens and other activities. The total reward for completing the listed tasks was 10 tickets and 500 coins. Task requirements can change between promotions, so always read the full list of conditions before spending time on any task.

Partner Rewards

Partners, typically introducing brokers or affiliates, could also earn tickets and coins based on their clients' trading. The published rates were:

• Every 0.5 lot traded by clients earned 1 raffle ticket.
• Every 0.1 lot traded by clients earned 10 coins.
• A new client's first 0.05 lot earned 1 ticket and 50 coins.

Partner rewards show how the contest was designed to grow trading volume across the whole client base, not only among individual traders.

The Christmas Tree Mini-Game

The decoration mini-game was the most distinctive part of the promotion. Coins earned through trading and tasks were spent on decorations, and the tree with the best design earned the special prize. Because coins were directly linked to trading volume, the mini-game gave traders a reason to keep trading throughout the contest period, not just at the end.

Headway Trading Contest Rules to Check

Before joining any broker contest, check the following points. They determine whether the rewards are realistic for your trading style.

• Eligibility: confirm whether your account type and region qualify.
• Volume requirements: understand how lot size is counted and whether there are minimums.
• Task conditions: some tasks may require specific actions, such as purchases or sharing content.
• Draw dates and times: note the raffle date and time zone. For this contest, the draw was set for January 22, 2026 at 13:00 MT time.
• Prize delivery: check how prizes are awarded and whether cash alternatives apply.
• Terms and conditions: read the full document rather than relying on summaries.

How This Contest Affects Traders

A contest like this can add value if you already trade and plan to keep trading after the promotion ends. Extra tickets and coins are a bonus on activity you would do anyway. The risk comes when a contest encourages you to trade more than your plan allows. Rewards based on lot size can push traders toward higher volume, larger positions or faster decisions, which increases exposure to losses.

It is also worth separating the contest from the broker's trading quality. Promotions say little about execution speed, spreads, regulation or withdrawal terms, and those factors matter more over time. For a full look at the broker behind this promotion, see our Headway review.

If you want to compare how other brokers structure their promotions, our FBS review covers another broker that has run trading-based reward programmes.

Key Takeaways

• The Headway Trading Contest combined trading volume, tasks and a decoration mini-game, with a prize pool above $100,000 and more than 1,000 winners.
• Raffle tickets were earned at 1 per 0.05 lot traded, and decoration coins at 10 per 0.01 lot, based on the published rates.
• The main raffle was scheduled for January 22, 2026 at 13:00 MT time. That date has passed, and the contest is closed.
• Always check eligibility, volume rules and task conditions before joining any promotion.
• Trading involves risk. Rewards based on volume should never drive decisions about position size or risk.

FAQ

When was the Headway Trading Contest raffle held?

The raffle was scheduled for January 22, 2026 at 13:00 MT time. That date has passed, so the contest is no longer open for entries.

How did you earn raffle tickets in the Headway Trading Contest?

Based on the published rates, you earned 1 raffle ticket for every 0.05 lot traded. Completing special tasks could also earn extra tickets.

What was the biggest prize in the Headway Trading Contest?

The top prizes were a $10,000 USD super prize and an iMac Pro super prize. The best decorated Christmas tree also qualified for a special prize: a real Christmas tree from Headway for 2027.

How did partners earn rewards in the contest?

Partners earned 1 ticket for every 0.5 lot traded by their clients and 10 coins for every 0.1 lot. A new client's first 0.05 lot also earned 1 ticket and 50 coins.

Did trading rewards depend on profit?

The published rates were based on lot volume, not profit. Eligibility and calculation rules can vary between promotions, so always confirm the full terms before joining.

Further reading: Federal Reserve (Wikipedia).