The Wait is Over: Polymarket Begins Staged U.S. Rollout
Posted on: May 13, 2026, 10:55h.
Last updated on: May 14, 2026, 07:44h.
- The waitlist is dead—US users can now download Polymarket on iOS and start trading immediately.
- The platform is currently an iPhone-only affair, with no confirmed date for an Android release.
- Despite the regulatory hurdles, Polymarket has spent the last year dominating the volume charts, proving the US appetite for prediction markets is at an all-time high.
After months of anticipation, Polymarket went live in the U.S. on Tuesday, dropping its waitlist and launching a native app for iOS users.
The launch comes six months after the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)’s amended order of designation, a regulatory pivot that experts correctly predicted would clear Polymarket’s path for a 2026 U.S. debut.
Now, US users of the Polymarket app are taken directly to a trading page rather than a signup space.
Polymarket’s U.S. app is now being rolled out to those on the waitlist,” the company’s website reads. “Provide your phone number below to secure your spot & be notified when it’s your turn.”
iOS is the operating system for Apple devices, including the iPhone and iPad. Polymarket doesn’t yet have an Android mobile application and it’s not yet clear when that will change.
Kalshi Has Big Lead Over Polymarket
Polymarket often describes itself as the world’s largest prediction market by volume and while that may be accurate, its struggles to launch in the US allowed rival Kalshi to establish a significant lead in this country.
By some estimates, Kalshi controls 90% of prediction market volume in the US with Polymarket and Crypto.com splitting most of the remaining 10%. Kalshi’s US lead over its competitor likely goes a long way toward explaining the sizable valuation gap between the two companies.
Polymarket is reportedly in talks to raise fresh capital at a $15 billion multiple while Kalshi recently raised $1 billion at a $22 billion valuation.
It’s widely believed that US bettors and traders that have been using Polymarket have done so by way of virtual private networks (VPNs), or technology that hides a user’s internet protocol (IP) address, thus masking their real location.
“A VPN is a foundational networking and security technology in a cloud-first world where applications span on-premises infrastructure and public cloud services. Often used alongside Zero Trust and other modern security approaches, VPNs wrap data in encryption and send it through a protected tunnel to which only authorized users and devices can connect,” according to Microsoft.
Polymarket Has Interesting US History
Polymarket has a tumultuous history in the US. In 2022, the company was banned from operating in this country.
In November 2024, founder Shayne Coplan’s New York City apartment was raided by the FBI.
The company has worked through those issues and officially has futures commission merchant (FCM) status, allowing it to offer event contracts in the US. Last year, it was offering derivatives on whether or not it would go live here before the end of the year.
Polymarket’s official US launch comes at a pivotal time because data from Dune Analytics indicate the exchange’s notional volume slumped in April, marking the first decline in eight months, while Kalshi’s notional turnover posted a double-digit percentage increase.
No comments yet