Maven Securities Arctic Shores Practice
Comprehensive preparation guide for Maven Securities' Arctic Shores assessment
Assessment Time
20-35 min
Combined with math tests
Games Included
~5 games
Subset of Arctic Shores tasks
Difficulty
High
Competitive trading intake
About Maven Securities' Arctic Shores Assessment
Maven Securities, the award-winning options market making firm with offices in Amsterdam and Chicago, uses Arctic Shores as Round 2 of their hiring process for Options Market Making traders and quantitative roles. The Arctic Shores games are combined with a mental math test and probability assessment in their online assessment round, making it one of the more demanding assessment packages in the trading industry. Maven specifically recruits final-year students and recent graduates from quantitative backgrounds.
What Maven's Arctic Shores Games Measure
- Risk tolerance and reward-seeking behaviour under uncertainty (Balloon Game)
- Pattern recognition, focus, and attention under pressure (Arrows Game)
- Situational awareness and decision-making speed (Security Door Game)
- Cognitive processing speed critical for trading environments
- Behavioral consistency across high-pressure, fast-paced tasks
Maven Securities Roles Using Arctic Shores
Trading Roles
- Options Market Maker (Amsterdam)
- Options Market Maker (Chicago)
- Trainee Trader
Quantitative Roles
- Quantitative Research
- Software Engineering
- Technology & Infrastructure
Maven's Full Assessment Process
Maven's hiring process is structured in several stages. Round 1 is a mental math test and probability/sequences assessment. Round 2 is the Arctic Shores game-based assessment (around 5 tasks). Round 3 is an on-demand video interview covering motivation and understanding of the role. Rounds 4 and 5 are HR and technical interviews with senior traders. The Arctic Shores games sit early in the process — candidates who struggle with the format are sifted before they reach the more technical trading rounds.
Top Tips for Maven's Assessment
Risk tolerance is specifically tested
The Balloon Game — where you inflate a balloon to earn more money but risk losing everything if it bursts — directly measures your approach to risk and reward. For a trading firm, your risk profile matters. Respond naturally and consistently rather than trying to appear maximally risk-seeking or risk-averse.
Speed and accuracy both matter
Trading demands fast, accurate decision-making under pressure. The cognitive tasks in the Arctic Shores assessment measure exactly this. Building processing speed through practice directly prepares you for the demands of the role itself.
Prepare for the math round too
The Arctic Shores games are Round 2. Make sure you have also prepared for the mental math test and probability/sequences assessment in Round 1 — both require practice specific to trading contexts.
Minimise distractions
Many tasks are time-sensitive. A quiet environment with a stable connection is essential — particularly for the reaction-based and pattern recognition tasks.
Start Practicing for Maven Securities Today
Access all 14 Arctic Shores games with free limited practice
Begin Maven Securities Assessment PracticeFrequently Asked Questions
How many Arctic Shores games does Maven use?
Maven uses a subset of around 5 Arctic Shores tasks in their Round 2 assessment — including the Balloon Game, the Arrows Game, and the Security Door Game. The full round takes approximately 20-35 minutes.
Do I need a finance or maths degree to apply to Maven?
Maven recruits final-year students and recent graduates from any quantitative background — mathematics, physics, computer science, engineering, and related disciplines. A finance degree is not required, but strong quantitative ability is essential.
Is practicing helpful for Maven's Arctic Shores assessment?
Yes. The game-based format is unfamiliar to most candidates. Practicing beforehand means you're not spending time during the real assessment working out the mechanics — you can focus entirely on performing well on each task.