Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), has made an investment of $2 billion in blockchain-based prediction market Polymarket, valuing the company at around $8 billion.
ICE, with its investment in Polymarket, has become a distributor of its event-driven data, the companies announced. The partnership will also explore blockchain and tokenisation initiatives, combining ICE’s institutional reach with Polymarket’s retail-focused innovation.
“Our partnership with ICE marks a major step in bringing prediction markets into the financial mainstream,” said Shayne Coplan, chief executive officer (CEO) of Polymarket. “Together, we’re expanding how individuals and institutions use probabilities to understand and price the future.”
Coplan added that the collaboration aims to merge ICE’s credibility with Polymarket’s consumer-oriented technology, setting a new standard for data-driven market forecasting. ICE said the investment will not materially impact its 2025 financial results, and more details will be discussed during its third-quarter earnings call on 30 October.
Polymarket expands crypto features and blockchain utility
Earlier this year, Polymarket introduced Bitcoin (BTC) funding support, allowing users to deposit BTC alongside Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana. The update reflects the company’s push to make prediction markets more accessible to crypto users worldwide.
“Realising the potential of new technologies such as tokenisation will require collaboration between established market leaders and next-generation innovators,” Coplan said.
CFTC settlement and Polymarket’s path to US reentry
The ICE investment underscores Polymarket’s recovery and growing legitimacy after its regulatory settlement with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2022. The CFTC had fined Polymarket $1.4 million for operating an unregistered swap execution facility, prompting its temporary US exit.
Since then, Polymarket has been preparing for a regulated US relaunch, acquiring QCX, a federally registered derivatives exchange, and its affiliated clearinghouse for $112 million. The company has also drafted a comprehensive rulebook governing its trading and compliance framework.
In September 2025, the CFTC took a “no-action position”, allowing Polymarket to offer sports event contracts in all 50 states — paving the way for its formal US reentry. The company considers these contracts a form of legal sports betting, bridging the gap between finance and gaming.
As part of the relaunch, Polymarket has already begun active preparations for the start of this year’s autumn sports season. The company is positioning itself in the new market using innovative derivative instruments in accordance with the requirements of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).
Polymarket and Kalshi compete in booming prediction markets
Polymarket’s reemergence comes amid rising interest in regulated event markets. Rival Kalshi recorded $440 million in trading volume during the first week of the NFL season, following a $2 billion valuation in mid-2025.
Analysts suggest ICE’s backing will give Polymarket a competitive edge through enhanced data distribution, institutional trust, and broader blockchain infrastructure.
ICE’s $2 billion investment follows an earlier funding round led by 1789 Capital, a venture firm whose advisory board includes Donald Trump Jr. After the funding round, Trump Jr. has joined the advisory board of Polymarket as the company prepares to relaunch in the US. Trump Jr. has shown sustained interest in prediction and event markets, also serving as an advisor to Kalshi.
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