Money

Economic whiz-kid recalls his fortune

By Wang Ru (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-01 10:40

From collecting coins to becoming a successful financial investor with two luxury villas and downtown apartments in the city, Ma Wenya, 21, is an early pursuer of wealth

The last two months for Ma Wenya have been spent at home, in his luxury serviced apartment purchased in 2008.

Ma Wenya relaxes at his villa in Beijing. He is confident of achieving success without help from his family. Courtesy of Ma Wenya

After local media revealed his amazing story of fortune, Ma has been asked to work at home instead of at his company - a magazine that networks and entertains leading Chinese entrepreneurs.

Ma, however, says he quite enjoys his new life of daily trading on the stock market. Recently, a wealthy friend offered him 20 million yuan to co-establish a private investment company, but he refused.

Instead, he gets up at 8 am every morning, one and a half hours before the stock market opens. He is a confident short-term trader concentrating on one stock a time, and researches the Dow Jones Index every night.

Ma's first bucket of gold came from speculating on the real-estate market. As a high school student in Shanghai he rode his bike to every new commercial apartment block in town to compare locations, prices and traffic congestion.

After he concluded which had the best investment value, he worked his magic.

Ma functioned like a freelance agent, buying up apartments for his parent's friends and relatives. In return, he was paid so much commission that he had earned 500,000 yuan before entering university.

In 2006, Ma came to Beijing to study at the Communication University of China. By speculating on the bull market in 2007, Ma's wealth topped two million yuan and he began lecturing on the subject at the campus.

However, as with many Chinese investors, he went through bad times in the beginning of 2008 with the financial crisis. He started doubting his ability and even considered suicide.

In 2009, Ma had his confidence restored with the warming stock market and housing market, and purchased several properties in Beijing.

While Ma notes that his father is also a successful businessman and that his parents encouraged him with financial support, he is confident that he would have found fame without the family background.

Ma was an active and passionate student leader on campus who organized economic and employment lectures to be given by managers from leading domestic and international enterprises.

All About Ma Wenya

METRO: What property do you own?

Two villas in the suburbs of Beijing. One is 360 sq m and the other is about 200 sq m.

I also have two serviced apartments priced at 15,000 yuan per sq m when I bought them in 2008. They now sell for at least 20,000 yuan per sq m.

METRO: What car do you drive?

Just an ordinary Honda. I can afford a more expensive one, but they are not my style.

METRO: Are you a spender or a saver?

I am rational toward spending and saving. When I was a child, I banked my pocket money instead of buying snacks. I understood that the more money I had, the more I could afford.

METRO: How did you get interested in investment?

I think I was born to be a financial investor. I have liked collecting coins and playing monopoly since childhood. Researching and competing in the financial markets has always excited me.

METRO: Do you dream of working in the Wall Street?

Not really. I can be the best financial expert in China instead. I love Chinese culture.

METRO: What is your key to success?

To find assets that are undervalued. I used this method in both the stock market and the real estate market.

Then to learn about the economic history and development of the investment market in the United States and Japan. History repeats itself; the only difference is the players.

METRO: Who is your favorite finance guru: Warren Buffet or Paul Krugman?

Neither. My idol is Wu Jinglian, a respectable Chinese economist, and Yin Baohua, a legendary individual stock investor in Shanghai who enlightened me on the domestic stock market.