Prediction markets offer traders more upside than holding the underlying spot crypto, but AI bots and accounts with a 100% win rate raise suspicions of insider trading. Blockchain-based prediction markets are drawing in more speculators as traders look for returns that surpass simply holding spot cryptocurrencies, according to a new report. Prediction markets are emerging as a new speculative arena for traders, pitting casual retail participants against data-driven, professional traders, creating “extreme information asymmetry and meaningful arbitrage windows,” according to a Monday report from crypto research company 10X Research. While sports bets account for the lion’s share of activity on these platforms, Bitcoin (BTC) and crypto-outcome related events are presenting more niche opportunities that digital asset traders can’t ignore, according to 10X. Read more
Prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi surge for the pro-crypto candidate as Trump’s likely Fed chair pick, just as internal Fed reforms spark pushback from veterans. Prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi view Kevin Hassett, US President Donald Trump’s National Economic Council director, as the favorite to replace Jerome Powell as the next Federal Reserve chair. The odds of Hassett filling the seat have spiked to 66% on Polymarket and 74% on Kalshi at the time of writing. Hassett is widely viewed as crypto‑friendly thanks to his past role on Coinbase’s advisory council, a disclosed seven‑figure stake in the exchange and his leadership of the White House digital asset working group. Founder and CEO of Wyoming-based Custodia Bank, and a prominent advocate for crypto-friendly regulations, Caitlin Long, commented on X: Read more
Kalshi plans to use a portion of the funding to scale its technology team, CEO Tarek Mansour said. Kalshi, a prediction market and competitor to Polymarket, has reportedly closed a $185 million funding round that values the company at $2 billion, indicating growing investor appetite for the emerging sector. The round was led by crypto investment company Paradigm, with participation from venture capital companies Sequoia Capital, Multicoin Capital and other investors, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. CEO and co-founder Tarek Mansour said the funding will be used to expand Kalshi’s technology team and integrate its prediction contracts into more brokerage platforms. Currently, Kalshi contracts are available through Webull and Robinhood Markets. Prediction markets have gained traction as an alternative to traditional polling, with proponents arguing that they offer more accurate forecasts by aggregating the collective expectations of participants. Founded in 2018 by Mansour and Luana Lopes Lara, Ka...