Technology entrepreneur and holder of a Master’s in Business from Stanford University California, Waqar Zaka has announced he will sell the brand-new 2026 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon he won in the global TradFi Masters competition . The proceeds will fund a new education initiative focused on madrasas and Hafiz-e-Quran students, as well as any Pakistani who can stand out and take part in the Fields Medal in mathematics.
Recognised as a crypto expert by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government in 2021, Zaka said he will target selected madrasas where students have become experts in the Quran. The goal is to introduce structured mathematics and physics programmes so these students can progress into advanced science education and ultimately compete for global recognition, including the Fields Medal, and come up with ideas that can be nominated for Nobel Prizes.
He emphasised that the initiative will not distribute free cash to the poor. Instead, funds will support education-driven Pakistanis and promote studying at Ivy League universities and Stanford. A condition attached to any support is that recipients must plant trees on a regular basis, daily or monthly and send progress updates on WhatsApp to ensure accountability. Zaka stated that free money without work or responsibility leads to no real progress.
Unlike many influencers who prominently display luxury cars and lifestyle, Zaka is choosing to liquidate the high-profile prize vehicle and channel the resources into education rather than personal showmanship.
Zaka has participated in international trading tournaments for the past five years. He finished third in a 2022 event, seventh during a Covid-era contest, and fifth in a 2024 crypto tournament before claiming the top spot in the recent multi-asset TradFi Masters.
He noted that most such online trading contests are not government-regulated and operate more like unofficial cricket matches played on different grounds. For comparison, the CME Futures tournament in the United States is largely demo-based with Bitcoin price updates and a modest $2,500 prize, where a Pakistani citizen cannot compete as it is only open to a few selected countries. The Robbins Cup runs for a full year and focuses only on stocks without crypto. The current multi-asset platforms that allow real capital across stocks, commodities and cryptocurrencies remain relatively unique and offer far bigger prizes than the demo trading contests by CME Futures or the Robbins Cup.
Zaka’s latest move has drawn attention to his long-standing advocacy for education-driven development and the idea that Pakistan needs more Nobel-level talent emerging from diverse backgrounds, including traditional religious institutions.
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