Trump Jr.’s VC Firm Announces Multimillion Dollar Investment in Polymarket
Posted on: August 26, 2025, 01:44h.
Last updated on: August 26, 2025, 01:54h.
- Terms of investment not disclosed
- Polymarket names Trump Jr. to its advisory board
- Justice department and CFTC dropped investigations into Polymarket in July
Donald Trump Jr. is adding to his prediction market portfolio with Tuesday’s announcement that his venture capital firm is investing in Polymarket, which is adding him to its advisory board.
Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital firm has made a double-digit, multimillion-dollar investment in Polymarket, according to Axios. Polymarket didn’t disclose the terms of the investment.
Trump Jr. is also on the advisory board of Kalshi, another prediction market, although Polymarket does have significantly higher trading volume. As Axios reported, the Kalshi advisory role is a paid position.
Polymarket, launched in 2020, is a decentralized, blockchain-based platform (requiring a cryptowallet) where users buy and sell contracts based on the outcomes of real-world events.
Billion Dollar Valuation
The platform has been in the headlines over the past year for its legal issues. It has been accessible globally, but Americans aren’t allowed to use it.
Polymarket was fined US$1.4 million by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2022 for operating without a license.
In 2024, Polymarket acquired a CFTC-licensed exchange (QCEX) in a US$112 million deal, so Americans might soon be in a position where they can access the platform. In June, the company also announced a partnership with X as its official prediction market partner. The company was recently valued at US$1 billion.
Investigation Dropped
In July 2025, the Trump administration ended Justice Department and CFTC investigations into Polymarket, part of a series of actions against crypto companies and online betting markets that had been initiated by the previous Biden administration. The FBI had publicly conducted a raid against Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan in November 2024, going into his New York home and seizing cell phones and electronic devices.
Polymarket offers a broad range of markets, covering politics, sports, and entertainment, including celebrity news and scandals. The fact that it’s decentralized allows for rapid market creation based on user demand. Polymarket hit people’s radar during the US presidential election in November 2024, doing more than US$3.6 billion in trading volume, according to an NBC analysis.
QCEX Acquisition Paves Way for Market Re-Entry
“This strategic investment marks a significant milestone for Polymarket. Our long-term partnership with 1789 Capital will help reinforce Polymarket’s leading position as a trusted source of free, transparent, and accurate market information in the U.S. and around the world,” said Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan.
“We are proud to formally welcome 1789 Capital as a strategic partner and Donald Trump Jr. to our advisory board as we continue building our platform to reflect real-world sentiment, in real time, for all to see.”
$6 Billion in Trades
According to a statement company statement issued on Tuesday, users have already made US$6 billion in predictions on the platform.
Polymarket is the largest prediction market in the world, and the U.S. needs access to this important platform,” said Donald Trump Jr. “Polymarket cuts through media spin and so-called ‘expert’ opinion by letting people bet on what they actually believe will happen in the world.”
“I am pleased that 1789 Capital is investing in Polymarket and am honored to join the company’s advisory board. I look forward to working with the team to advance its mission of bringing truth and transparency to everyone – including the U.S.”
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