Polymarket Gains CFTC Approval to Amend Designation for US Entry
Polymarket’s launch of its U.S. app marks its regulated reentry after a 2022 fine, supported by its acquisition of licensed platform QCX earlier in 2025.
Summary
On December 4, Polymarket launched its U.S. app, enabling domestic trading for the first time under its amended CFTC-approved designation. This reentry follows a 2022 $1.4 million fine for operating an unregistered derivatives exchange and a November 2024 beta relaunch. In July 2025, Polymarket acquired licensed platform QCX to facilitate its U.S. comeback. The regulated relaunch is expected to attract institutional interest to blockchain-based prediction markets.
Terms & Concepts
- CFTC (U.S. derivatives regulator): The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. federal agency overseeing futures, options, and certain derivatives markets.
- Polymarket: A decentralized prediction market platform allowing users to trade on the outcomes of real-world events using blockchain technology.
- Intermediated trading platform: A market structure where transactions are executed through intermediaries, such as brokers, providing access and compliance within regulated environments.