Polymarket Trial Its App on the Way to the Full-Scale US Resumption
Polymarket is conducting live testing of a limited beta version of its US-facing predictive markets platform. The exchange, which allows selected users to trade real-money contracts, is operational again after a three-year regulatory pause.
This soft launch follows a strategic shift to meet US regulations, including the acquisition of a licensed entity. The company’s founder, Shayne Coplan, confirmed the US exchange is now live and onboarding users in a beta phase.
Regulated Infrastructure Supports New Market Entry
The platform’s return to the US market was made possible by compliance with federal oversight. In 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) fined Polymarket $1.4 million for operating an unregistered event derivatives exchange.
To re-enter legally, the company acquired QCX LLC and QC Clearing, which hold the necessary CFTC licenses for a derivatives exchange and clearinghouse. This $112 million acquisition provided the required regulatory structure.
In September 2025, the CFTC provided a “no-action letter.” This action eased reporting rules for certain event contracts under the QCX framework, giving Polymarket the clearance to begin testing.
The current beta allows selected users to trade binary contracts (simple “yes” or “no” bets) on outcomes in sports, politics, and pop culture. A wider public launch is scheduled for early 2026.
Sports Deals Drive Fan Engagement Strategy
Polymarket’s strategy for its US re-entry focuses heavily on the sports betting market. The company has concentrated on offering contracts related to sports outcomes to capitalize on major US sports calendars like the NFL and NBA.
The firm cemented its sports focus by partnering with TKO Group Holdings Inc. Polymarket became the Official and Exclusive Prediction Market Partner for the UFC and Zuffa Boxing.
This collaboration will introduce a Fan Prediction Scoreboard during UFC broadcasts. The scoreboard will use Polymarket’s technology to show real-time visualizations of fan sentiment regarding fight dynamics.
Polymarket has also made other key moves, including a strategic alliance with PrizePicks. The goal is to integrate Polymarket’s event contracts into the PrizePicks application. This would allow the offering of CFTC-regulated derivatives through a major fantasy sports operator.
Predictable Contracts Versus Traditional Sportsbooks
The predictive market model operates differently from conventional sports betting. Polymarket allows users to buy and sell shares on contract outcomes. This process resembles stock trading more than placing a bet against a sportsbook. Users trade against each other, not against the house.
Polymarket’s founder highlighted the limitations of the traditional model. Shayne Coplan noted the current sportsbook model gives an operator a monopoly on pricing.
He suggested this allows the house to set prices and ban winning users. Polymarket’s peer-to-peer exchange design aims to create a more competitive and open trading environment. Following an investment from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Polymarket’s valuation is now estimated to be between $9 and $10 billion.
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