Mike Rufail, the prolific founder of Envy Gaming, which merged with OpTic Gaming in 2022, has been named CEO of TradeOff, an all-new virtual trading and gaming platform. This fantasy stock trading platform is set to launch soon, and earlier today, the organisation announced Rufail’s appointment, dubbing him a ‘gaming and esports expert’.
From Gaming to Gaming
TradeOff is preparing to launch worldwide, but in the meantime, it’s busy assembling a corporate structure, assigning Mike Rufail as CEO. In 2009, Rufail joined the Envy team and ultimately became the company owner, managing it effectively until it merged with OpTic Gaming in 2022, scrubbing the Envy Gaming branding from the esports industry.
TradeOff is a platform that allows users to earn real money by competing in online contests ‘similar to fantasy sports or fantasy sports betting’. It’ll feature leaderboards, community-based elements, and partnerships with top traders when it launches.
In a statement on the fresh appointment, Mike Rufail said:
Today, there is no accessible entry point for learning how to trade stocks and crypto without putting personal capital at risk, which can be intimidating and prohibitive. TradeOff is going to change how financial brands reach and connect with new audiences, borrowing the best elements of what made playing and streaming video games widely popular and give people opportunities to explore trading, learn, practice and compete in fun new ways with low-risk, high-reward potential.
At TradeOff, Rufail will be focused on product design, testing, corporate strategy, partnerships, and marketing. Also on the team are fintech experts, entrepreneurs, and even a ‘patents expert’ with time served at HP, Intel, and Wells Fargo.
Sarne Lightman, a member of TradeOff’s leadership team and the managing director of GG Poker, said:
Mike’s passion as a self-taught trader paired with his roots in building communities around emerging forms of entertainment, social connection and competition make him the ideal leader for TradeOff. We believe TradeOff can be to stock trading what fantasy sports, mobile betting and online poker were to sports and gaming: an invitation to new audiences to participate and emotionally invest in and learn about the game.
Is this how you thought Mike Rufail would resurface after two decades in the gaming and esports industry?
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