In early 2021, ordinary retail investors on Reddit joined forces and triggered one of the biggest short...

In early 2021, ordinary retail investors on Reddit joined forces and triggered one of the biggest short squeezes in history, turning GameStop into a symbol of rebellion against Wall Street.

What started as online discussions and memes on r/WallStreetBets quickly became a coordinated movement that sent GameStop’s stock from under $20 to nearly $480, causing massive losses for hedge funds that had bet against the company. The event exposed how heavily the financial system was stacked in favor of large institutions, especially when trading platforms restricted buying while allowing selling, leaving small investors furious and confused.

Even though the stock eventually cooled down, the GameStop saga permanently changed how millions of people view the market and proved that collective action can challenge even the most powerful players in finance.