#prediction-markets

#prediction-markets

Kalshi shared a photo of him on Instagram with the words, "Wait he's goated." When a video of NBA player Damian Lillard recovering from an injury circulated online, Kalshi's main competitor Polymarket posted, "The league is cooked." If you don't know what either of those phrases mean, it's because you may not be the target audience.

The native token of the prediction markets protocol Rain jumped 44% to reach an all-time high of $0.01195 just hours after the Rain Foundation injected $100 million into the platform. The surge allowed RAIN to overtake several high-capitalization altcoinsincluding bitcoin cash, monero, and chainlink (LINK)as it burst into the top 20 ranked coins. Market data showed RAIN's market capitalization reached $7.2 billion, a threshold that ranks 17th on Coingecko.

Indonesia has blocked access to Polymarket after officials concluded that the prediction market platform operates as online gambling under national law. The Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry announced the move on Friday and said authorities are stepping up enforcement against digital betting services across the country. Officials argued that platforms allowing users to speculate on uncertain future events fall within Indonesia's gambling restrictions, even when those services are tied to crypto assets or blockchain technology.

If a Nevada licensee chooses to offer sports and other event contracts in Nevada or decides to partner with other entities offering sports and other event contracts in the state, the board will consider these developments as it evaluates the suitability of the entity to maintain a Nevada gaming license.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the National Hockey League have signed a memorandum of understanding designed to tighten coordination around professional hockey integrity and the fast-growing market for sports event contracts tied to NHL games.

Polymarket launches the first prediction markets tied to private companies, using Nasdaq Private Market data to resolve outcomes. Nearly 1,600 unicorns hold over $5 trillion in value, a pool previously inaccessible to retail participants before today's opening. Nasdaq Private Market (NPM), which has executed nearly $80 billion in secondary liquidity, will supply institutional-grade data as more markets roll out.

During the Super Bowl, Kalshi surpassed $1bn in trading, up 2,700% over the previous year. They have surged in popularity as researchers report a dramatic rise in Americans seeking gambling addiction help. This began even before the introduct

Kalshi said Monday (May 18) it will spend $2 million over the next two years on a partnership with the National Council on Problem Gambling, becoming the first prediction market company to formally join the organization as concerns grow around responsible consumer behavior in fast-growing trading markets.

Prediction markets-online casinos disguised as investment vehicles, where you can bet on propositions ranging from who will win a particular sports contest to who will be a bridesmaid at Taylor Swift's wedding-have exploded in the past two years. The monthly trading volume among prediction wagerers has skyrocketed, from $1.2 billion in early 2025 to more than $20 billion in January 2026, according to the blockchain-research firm TRM Labs. The two largest prediction markets, Polymarket and Kalshi, have a combined valuation north of $30 billion, making their founders some of the world's most improbably young billionaires.

“Let's bet on America - not against it,” he said. “I'm proposing a 10% fee on prediction markets and online gambling to fund an American Innovation Fund - investing in AI, quantum computing, fusion energy, life sciences, and national security tech.”

On Polymarket, users have now invested about $3 million betting on whether there will be a Hantavirus outbreak this year. About $170,000 has been similarly wagered on Kalshi, as of late Friday afternoon. Both bets are set up to be resolved by the end of 2026, so there's plenty of time for both pools to grow.

Kalshi announced on Thursday a $1 billion Series F round, valuing the company at $22 billion. That's double the $11 billion valuation Kalshi nabbed just five months ago after raising a $1 billion Series E. This latest round was led by Coatue, with participation from Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, and Paradigm.