Waqar Zaka to sell prize-winning G-Wagon for education initiative
Technology entrepreneur and Stanford University California Master’s in Business graduate Waqar Zaka has announced that he will sell the brand-new 2026 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon he won in the global TradFi Masters competition. He will use the proceeds to fund a new education initiative.
The initiative will focus on madrasas, Hafiz-e-Quran students and any Pakistani who can excel and compete for the Fields Medal in mathematics.
Focus on science education
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.
His goal is to introduce structured mathematics and physics programmes. He wants these students to progress into advanced science education. He also hopes they will compete for global recognition, including the Fields Medal, and develop ideas worthy of Nobel Prize nominations.
Education over financial aid
He emphasised that the initiative will not distribute free cash to the poor. Instead, it will support education-driven Pakistanis. It will also encourage them to study at Ivy League universities and Stanford.
Recipients must plant trees regularly, either daily or monthly, as a condition of receiving support. They must also send progress updates on WhatsApp to ensure accountability.
Zaka said free money without work or responsibility leads to no real progress.
Why Zaka is selling the G-Wagon
Unlike many influencers who prominently display luxury cars and their lifestyles, Zaka has chosen to sell the high-profile prize vehicle. He wants to channel the money into education instead of personal showmanship.
International trading achievements
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. He later claimed the top spot in the recent multi-asset TradFi Masters.
He noted that most online trading contests are not government-regulated. He said they operate more like unofficial cricket matches played on different grounds.
For comparison, the CME Futures tournament in the United States is largely demo-based. It uses Bitcoin price updates and offers a modest $2,500 prize. Pakistani citizens cannot compete because organisers only allow participants from a few selected countries.
The Robbins Cup runs for a full year and focuses only on stocks. It does not include crypto.
Current multi-asset platforms allow traders to use real capital across stocks, commodities and cryptocurrencies. Zaka said they remain relatively unique. They also offer much bigger prizes than the demo trading contests run by CME Futures or the Robbins Cup.
Long-term vision
Zaka’s latest move has drawn attention to his long-standing support for education-driven development. He believes Pakistan needs more Nobel-level talent from diverse backgrounds, including traditional religious institutions.
