The Trading Game

The Trading Game is a memoir by Gary Stevenson, a former Citibank trader from East London who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the bank’s most successful traders in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

The book follows his journey:

• From winning a student trading competition and joining Citibank,

• To becoming a multimillionaire in his twenties through betting on interest rates and economic trends,

• And eventually becoming disillusioned with the system that rewarded profit over people.

Despite his financial success, Stevenson becomes increasingly disturbed by how economic inequality is growing — and how his own work in the trading world is contributing to it. He sees firsthand how financial systems benefit the rich while leaving others behind. This internal conflict leads him to leave banking, study economics, and become an outspoken critic of wealth inequality.