Chinese AI models lead crypto trading contest with 126% gains as Western rivals lag

Two Chinese artificial intelligence systems have taken a commanding lead in an ongoing crypto trading contest, with DeepSeek’s Chat V3.1 posting a 126% return and Alibaba’s Qwen AI gaining 108% while Western models from OpenAI and Google posted steep losses.

The contest, hosted by US research firm Nof1, gives six AI models $10,000 each to trade Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin in real time. DeepSeek had turned its stake into $22,900 by Monday, while OpenAI’s model lost nearly 60% of its capital.

Alibaba’s Qwen AI Doubles Capital, Narrowly Trails DeepSeek in Crypto Trading Contest

Qwen 3 Max, developed by Alibaba Group Holding, followed closely with a 108% return, doubling its capital to $20,850. Qwen briefly overtook DeepSeek between October 24 and 26 before slipping back to second place.

In stark contrast, Western models lagged behind. OpenAI’s GPT-5 recorded the worst performance losing nearly 60% of its portfolio while Google DeepMind’s Gemini 2.5 Pro dropped by 57%. xAI’s Grok 4 and Anthropic’s Claude 4.5 Sonnet fared slightly better returning 14% and 23%, respectively.

The crypto trading contest pits six leading AI models against one another in real time cryptocurrency markets each starting with $10,000 and identical access to trading data.

Their objective: maximize profits through algorithmic trading and adaptive strategies involving Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and Dogecoin (DOGE).

“Nof1 explained on its website that the aim of Alpha Arena is to make AI benchmarks mirror real world conditions and financial markets provide the perfect testing ground for that.

By Monday morning, DeepSeek and GPT-5 held diversified long positions across six assets while Qwen AI went all in on Ether, capitalizing on its steady rally. The impressive gains by the Chinese contenders coincided with Bitcoin’s rebound to around $114,000 and Ethereum’s recovery after weeks of volatility.

As the crypto trading contest continues through November 3, China’s AI teams have showcased sharper adaptability and real time decision making, proving especially resilient in volatile market conditions.

DeepSeek AI Predicts Explosive Gains for Ethereum, Cardano, and XRP

Beyond the crypto trading contest, DeepSeek AI has issued a bold market forecast predicting powerful rallies in Ethereum (ETH), Cardano (ADA), and XRP heading into the new year.

Despite volatility triggered by Donald Trump’s tariff announcement on Chinese imports DeepSeek interprets the correction as a healthy reset leading into another bullish phase echoing the historic pattern of “Uptober” rallies.

DeepSeek projects Ethereum to surge toward $12,000–$15,000, potentially a 280% gain from current levels driven by its dominance in decentralized finance (DeFi) and expectations of crypto friendly U.S. reforms.

Similarly, DeepSeek expects Cardano (ADA) to reach $7–$10 by late 2025 a potential 1,200% rally powered by expanding developer activity. Meanwhile, XRP could climb to $10, fueled by regulatory clarity and renewed investor optimism following Ripple’s SEC victory.

With its strong showing in the crypto trading contest and high accuracy market forecasts, DeepSeek has positioned itself as a serious global contender in AI-driven finance signaling a shift in innovation leadership toward China’s rapidly advancing AI sector.