Kalshi Secures $1B Funding as Regulated Prediction Markets Gain Momentum. Source: Photo by Burak The Weekender
Kalshi, a leading CFTC-regulated prediction market platform, has raised a massive $1 billion funding round that pushes its valuation to $11 billion, according to TechCrunch. The investment was led by longtime backers Sequoia Capital and CapitalG, with additional participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Paradigm, Anthos Capital, and Neo. This latest valuation marks a major leap for Kalshi, bringing it closer to the $12 billion–$15 billion target recently associated with its crypto-native competitor, Polymarket.
The funding comes just one month after Kalshi announced a $300 million round at a $5 billion valuation, a sign of accelerating investor confidence in the rapidly expanding prediction market industry. These platforms, which allow users to trade on outcomes of real-world events, are gaining traction among both retail and institutional participants looking for new ways to access information-driven financial markets.
Kalshi distinguishes itself through full regulatory compliance as a CFTC-overseen exchange. It offers event contracts on macroeconomic indicators, political outcomes, inflation data, and other high-impact topics. By operating within the U.S. regulatory framework, Kalshi positions itself as a secure and legally compliant alternative to offshore or decentralized platforms, appealing to traders seeking reliability, fiat access, and institutional-grade structure.
Polymarket, by comparison, runs entirely on blockchain technology and has become a favorite among crypto-native users. Its decentralized model supports transparency, censorship resistance, and a global user base that trades in cryptocurrency on yes-or-no questions tied to elections, market trends, sports, and cultural events.
As prediction markets surge in popularity, Kalshi and Polymarket have emerged as two dominant players shaping the future of event-based trading. Kalshi’s regulatory-first approach and rapid funding momentum suggest growing mainstream adoption, while Polymarket continues to resonate with users who favor decentralized finance and open-access information markets. The rivalry highlights a broader trend: prediction markets are transitioning from niche crypto tools to influential financial instruments attracting billions in capital and global attention.