Perpetuals Reports 380% Hypothetical Return in Backtest of AI Engine Powering Risk-Free Trading Platform ‘UpsideOnly’
Perpetuals.com Ltd (Nasdaq: PDC) reported backtest results for its BayesShield AI engine powering the UpsideOnly paper trading platform. Using production code over 375 days and about 1.07 billion historical order fills, it generated a hypothetical non-compounded return of 380% versus 27% max drawdown, for a return-to-drawdown ratio of 4.4. The company said the strategy was positive each quarter and had zero liquidations during a period when Bitcoin fell 40.2%.
How this was made

The 30-second read
Why it matters
If investors treat the backtest as credible evidence of repeatable skill, it can support bullish sentiment around PDC’s AI trading product. However, the article itself emphasizes simulated results, limited live history, and backtest limitations, which should temper expectations.
Market read
The only new tradable element is PDC’s disclosed backtest metrics for BayesShield v2; there is no new live performance datapoint, contract, funding, or regulatory decision.
What to watch
Traders should focus on whether Perpetuals discloses live risk metrics, slippage/fees, execution quality, and whether the strategy remains robust after the backtest window, not just headline return.
Background
Perpetuals launched UpsideOnly in May 2026, using its BayesShield AI to generate signals based on agreement among qualified traders; this PR reports BayesShield v2 backtest performance.
Ticker impact
Perpetuals (PDC) announced BayesShield v2 backtest results for UpsideOnly, citing a 380% hypothetical return and 27% max drawdown over 375 days.
Near-term sentiment could improve on the headline backtest metrics, but follow-through likely depends on disclosure of live performance and regulatory/operational milestones.
The article provides specific backtest numbers, but it also stresses simulated results, limited live history, and inherent backtest limitations, reducing certainty for valuation or trading decisions.
Market effects
Highlights AI-driven retail trading platforms and may increase investor attention to backtest-to-live conversion risk in fintech trading tech.
Primarily US-listed fintech sentiment; mentions EU compliance via Perpetual Markets MTF but no new EU regulatory action.
Claims span multi-asset including crypto, but no new crypto-specific regulatory or protocol event is disclosed.
Counterpoint
The 380% figure is a non-compounded hypothetical backtest with explicit limitations, so it may not translate into investable edge or sustainable live returns.
Key entities
- companyPerpetuals.com Ltd
Nasdaq-listed fintech developing AI-powered trading products; reports BayesShield v2 backtest results for UpsideOnly.
- technologyBayesShield
Patent-pending AI engine intended to identify repeatable trading signals from patterns in trader activity.
- productUpsideOnly
Risk-free paper trading platform where users simulate trades with virtual money; profits shared among top-performing eligible users.
- regulated venuePM MTF Ltd
EU-licensed multilateral trading facility referenced as using Perpetuals’ AI technology under MiFID II/MiCA/DORA/EMIR compliance.



