Polymarket seeks expanded US market access through ongoing CFTC negotiations: Sources
The prediction markets platform Polymarket is engaging with the CFTC to regain full US market access following a 2022 regulatory settlement, after launching a restricted US version in December 2025 targeting sports betting contracts.
The prediction markets platform Polymarket is pursuing regulatory clearance to grant US users access to its primary prediction markets platform once again, as Bloomberg disclosed on Tuesday, referencing sources with knowledge of the discussions.
Bloomberg's report indicates that Polymarket has been in ongoing discussions with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) aimed at removing the ban on customers based in the United States.
Such a development would signal a more comprehensive return to the US market for the platform, which made a limited market re-entry last year via its QCEX-regulated infrastructure while continuing to restrict American users from accessing its primary global platform.
A more comprehensive US market relaunch would effectively overturn restrictions stemming from Polymarket's 2022 regulatory settlement with the CFTC, an agreement that mandated the platform to prevent US user access and remit a $1.4 million civil monetary penalty for operating unregistered event-based contracts.
Lifting the current prohibition would necessitate an official CFTC commission vote, a procedure that may prove less challenging considering that four commissioner positions currently remain unfilled, reducing the number of members required to achieve a decision, the report stated.
A comprehensive US market return would intensify competition within the nation's rapidly expanding prediction markets industry, where competitors like Kalshi have established a more substantial presence despite the sector confronting increased legal and regulatory examination at state and federal government levels.
When contacted by Cointelegraph regarding the report, Polymarket chose not to provide a statement.
Polymarket made US comeback with sports event contracts in late 2025
To date, Polymarket has achieved only modest success in reestablishing its US market presence. In December 2025, the platform revealed that its US application was being deployed with access limited to waitlist registrants. The application initially concentrated solely on sports-related contracts, with the company indicating it would be "followed by markets on everything."
Certain prediction market platforms have achieved greater success in conducting US operations compared to Polymarket. Kalshi, representing one of Polymarket's primary competitors, has established itself as a prominent domestic prediction platform and serves as an authorized market provider for Coinbase, a major cryptocurrency exchange operating in the United States.
Polymarket losing volume share to Kalshi as both platforms face legal pressure in the US
Polymarket previously dominated as a premier prediction market platform, representing over 90% of aggregate monthly notional trading volume in November 2024, based on data from a Dune dashboard created by Datadashboards.
Questions have been raised about the platform's volume metrics by entities including Paradigm, and Polymarket has experienced consistent market share erosion to Kalshi beginning in September 2025.
Even though Kalshi has surpassed Polymarket in trading volumes, both platforms have encountered legal challenges within the United States.
In the most recent state-level enforcement action, Wisconsin's chief law enforcement officer initiated legal proceedings on April 23 against both Kalshi and Polymarket, along with other companies such as Coinbase, Robinhood and Crypto.com, claiming that these entities enable unlawful sports wagering through what are described as "event contracts."
Furthermore, federal authorities including the CFTC and Justice Department alleged last week that a member of the US military exploited classified intelligence to generate profits exceeding $400,000 on Polymarket's global exchange, which prosecutors stated he gained entry to using a VPN service, thereby breaching US access restrictions.