Polymarket Launches 'Stock Betting' in Major Push into Traditional Finance

• Crypto prediction market Polymarket has launched new markets allowing users to bet on the price movement of stocks, indices, and commodities.
• The move marks a major strategic expansion for Polymarket into traditional finance, moving beyond its core focus on politics and cryptocurrency markets.
• The launch is reportedly backed by a commitment of up to $2 billion from ICE, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, valuing Polymarket at around $9 billion.
• The new “up/down” markets on the US-facing platform settle within 24 hours, offering a form of short-term speculative stock betting.
• The expansion comes just weeks after Polymarket re-entered the US market following a “no-action letter” from regulators, and it intensifies the regulatory debate over prediction markets.

Polymarket’s Bold Move into Financial Markets

In a move that dramatically blurs the lines between online speculation and mainstream financial trading, the popular crypto prediction market Polymarket has introduced a new suite of products that allow users to bet on the direction of stocks, indices, and commodities.

The new “up/down” markets represent the platform’s first major and aggressive foray into traditional finance. Users can now place wagers on a wide range of financial instruments, including individual equities, corporate earnings reports, and major market indices, without needing a traditional brokerage account. The contracts are designed for short-term speculation, with most settling within a 24-hour period.

Backed by Wall Street and a $9bn Valuation

This ambitious expansion is reportedly being fuelled by powerful institutional backing. According to reports, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, has committed to invest up to $2 billion in Polymarket, a deal that would value the platform at approximately $9 billion.

This powerful backing from the heart of Wall Street provides immense credibility and financial firepower. It follows Polymarket’s recent, carefully managed re-entry into the US market. The company resumed operations for US users after receiving a “no-action letter” from regulators, which provides a temporary green light to operate under specific conditions without fear of immediate enforcement action.

A Bridge Between Crypto Speculation and Regulated Trading

Polymarket is making a clear effort to position these new products as credible and trustworthy. The company has confirmed it is partnering with reputable financial news outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Nasdaq to source the resolution data for its new markets, a key step in building user and regulatory confidence.

The move is part of a wider growth story for the prediction markets industry, which saw Polymarket and its main rival Kalshi process a combined $1.4 billion in trading volume last month. Polymarket has also been strengthening its US presence, recently adding Donald Trump Jr. to its advisory board to aid its strategic push into American politics and finance.

The launch of these stock betting style products is a landmark moment. It positions Polymarket as a disruptive force not just in the iGaming world, but as a direct competitor to the traditional financial brokerage industry. The regulatory response to this bold convergence of crypto prediction betting and mainstream finance will now be watched with intense interest by both Wall Street and the global gaming industry.