Published on: May 19, 2026, 01:32h.
Updated on: May 19, 2026, 01:32h.
- Polymarket is expanding access to major privately-owned companies
- Announcement coincides with preparations for historic IPOs
- Collaboration between Polymarket and Nasdaq Private Market
Polymarket is joining forces with Nasdaq Private Market (NPM) to create event contracts associated with some of the largest privately owned firms globally.
The prediction market operator has announced its partnership with Nasdaq to offer derivatives that will enhance traders’ access to entities like Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceX. It’s worth noting that the private market addition will consist solely of standard event contracts and won’t provide traders with opportunities to own equity in these closely held firms.
“Combining Polymarket’s prediction market infrastructure with Nasdaq Private Market’s reliable data on both primary and secondary market activities provides a transparent platform for individuals to engage with verifiable events related to private companies, which may encompass valuation milestones, IPO timelines, and secondary market activity,” stated the official announcement.
Nasdaq Private Market—known for supplying infrastructure and liquidity in private markets—will function as the data resolution provider for the derivatives introduced by Polymarket.
Timely Launch for Polymarket’s Private Market Initiative
The introduction of Polymarket’s private market offerings is likely to attract traders for various reasons, especially given the anticipation surrounding several monumental initial public offerings (IPOs).
With SpaceX expected to go public next month at a staggering valuation of $1.75 trillion, it is projected to be the largest IPO to date. Reports also suggest that AI powerhouses like Anthropic and OpenAI might go public later this year, likely achieving valuations exceeding $1 trillion.
These figures indicate a significant interest in select private firms, but access to shares from these companies remains elusive for many market participants, including professionals. This scenario suggests a notable institutional interest in Polymarket’s private company platform.
“Currently, more value is generated in private companies than at any time in recent history,” according to the Nasdaq/Polymarket joint statement. “Approximately 1,600 unicorns globally now collectively possess over $5 trillion in value, yet this access has largely been limited to institutions and high-net-worth individuals—leaving many on the sidelines during value creation prior to a company going public.”
With valuations of $15 billion and $22 billion respectively, both Polymarket and competitor Kalshi are part of this unicorn landscape.
Polymarket Aiming to Enhance Institutional Interest
It’s widely recognized that major prediction market operators, including Kalshi and Polymarket, garner substantial volumes from sports derivatives. However, these companies are striving to lessen their reliance on sports by introducing products aimed at institutional investors.
“The new offering introduces an additional tool for price discovery for institutional investors, complementing NPM’s pricing data, which is already utilized by some of the largest financial institutions globally,” the Polymarket statement elaborates.
A notable point: Polymarket and Nasdaq represent an intriguing partnership since Polymarket’s main financial backer is Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).