Polymarket officially returns to the American soil. Three years after being banned by the regulator, the prediction markets platform launches a mobile application approved by the CFTC, marking a complete break from its ‘off-exchange’ period. For the industry, this is a strong signal: prediction markets are shifting into federal regulation.
An iOS app available via waitlist, Android on the way
Launched on Wednesday, the app is initially available on iOS via a waitlist system. The Android version will follow, the company announces. Users will be able to trade real-money sports markets under direct supervision of the CFTC, a status similar to that of a traditional derivatives platform.
This launch marks a major turning point for Polymarket, which had to exit the American market in 2022 after the regulator sanctioned it for offering unregistered event derivatives. The case ended with a $1.4 million agreement and a complete overhaul of the compliance model.
A regulated platform, but not a bookmaker
Polymarket insists: this is not a classic sportsbook. The platform aims to become an exchange of information market, where one ‘trades probabilities’ rather than bets. The markets already cover major sports events and will gradually expand to proposition markets, then to elections and other real events.
The demand for this type of product is skyrocketing. Prediction markets are increasingly appealing as an alternative to polls, considered less accurate in a world saturated with political and economic uncertainties.
A sector in full swing, fueled by massive capital
The return of Polymarket comes as the sector experiences unprecedented traction. Its main regulated competitor, Kalshi, has just raised $1 billion, valuing the company at $11 billion. The entry of these platforms into the management of political, macroeconomic, or media risk is attracting hedge funds, research offices, and retail traders.
The official approval of the CFTC also reinforces the idea that prediction markets are no longer a peripheral product of crypto but a future financial infrastructure component, with supervision comparable to commodity markets.
The beginning of a new chapter
With this application, Polymarket positions itself where the market plays out: in the regulated, accessible, and mobile-first space. The platform hopes to pave the way for massive adoption, especially with the approach of the major sports and political events of 2026.
One thing is certain: the battle between platforms to become the Nasdaq of probabilistic information is just beginning.
