Polymarket, a leading prediction market platform utilizing cryptocurrency, is gearing up for its return to the U.S. market almost four years after regulatory issues led to a suspension of its domestic services. The company has confirmed plans to start offering new contracts for U.S. users starting October 2, 2025, following a successful acquisition and a series of regulatory clearances.
Operating on the Polygon blockchain, the platform recently completed a $112 million acquisition of QCX LLC. This strategic move provided Polymarket with access to a Designated Contract Market (DCM) license under the newly branded Polymarket US. This license permits the company to self-certify event contracts in adherence to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulations.
The self-certification process allows DCM license holders to introduce contracts by simply declaring that their offerings comply with existing laws. The CFTC has a one business day window to express any objections; if none are raised, the market can be activated immediately. However, Polymarket US has made it clear that its markets will not commence before October 2.
Four types of markets have been self-certified for launch, including athletic event contracts, athletic spread contracts, total athletic score contracts, and election outcome contracts.
Polymarket’s comeback is backed by a no-action letter issued by the CFTC in early September, which indicated that the agency would not take enforcement actions regarding alleged previous violations involving swap data reporting and recordkeeping. This letter removed the last significant obstacle for Polymarket’s return to U.S. operations, as affirmed by CEO Shayne Coplan.
Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan
“That was our ‘green light’ to activate services in the USA,” Coplan explained at the time.
Polymarket caught national attention during the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, where traders on the platform successfully predicted President Donald Trump’s reelection. Since that event, there has been a notable surge in interest for prediction markets, with both Polymarket and its primary U.S. competitor, Kalshi, showing hundreds of millions in weekly trading volumes.
Kalshi, which already possesses a DCM license, has thus far maintained a leading position in the U.S. market regarding user base and trading activity. Polymarket’s resurgence aims to contest this dominance by providing regulated, self-certified contracts targeted at American users.
During a panel discussion held in Washington, D.C., organized by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and CFTC, Coplan elaborated on the impact of regulations on decentralized finance (DeFi).
“It’s evident that this administration seeks to foster DeFi,” Coplan remarked, alluding to blockchain-based financial systems that work without traditional intermediaries. He emphasized that innovators may have a more suitable perspective than regulators when it comes to incorporating smart contracts that safeguard investors.
“This places the responsibility on us and others in the sector to innovate and develop solutions that reflect the essence of traditional financial regulations while tapping into the potential of new technologies,” he noted.