Polymarket Seeks CFTC Approval to Bring Main Crypto Exchange Onshore in US

Polymarket has asked the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for clearance to bring its main crypto-native prediction exchange onshore, Bloomberg reported. The step would expand its US footprint beyond the intermediated access offered by QCX LLC.

The move signals a deeper push to integrate decentralized prediction markets into mainstream US finance. It follows a regulatory thaw that began in 2025 with the company’s $112 million QCEX acquisition and a string of CFTC approvals.

A Path From Offshore to Onshore

Polymarket currently runs two platforms. The main exchange settles trades on Polygon in USD Coin (USDC) and lists the broadest range of event contracts, while Polymarket US offers intermediated access through brokerages.

The regulated US arm became fully operational after the CFTC issued an Amended Order of Designation in November 2025, granting approval for intermediated access.

Polymarket extended its anti-manipulation and insider trading rules across both platforms in March 2026.

Onshoring the main exchange would let American users trade directly on-chain rather than through brokerage rails. It would also pull more DeFi infrastructure into federally supervised territory.

The filing arrives during a financing surge. Intercontinental Exchange, the parent of the New York Stock Exchange, completed a $2 billion strategic investment in March, and talks for a $400 million round at a $15 billion valuation surfaced this month.

Whether the CFTC will accept around on-chain settlement, USDC collateral, and broader market scope remains an open question.

Rival Kalshi already runs as a regulated event contract market, raising competitive stakes.

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