Polymarket has officially removed all barriers to entry for U.S. iOS users, allowing anyone to download the app and begin trading on live markets without an invitation code or a place on a waiting list. The move marks a significant milestone in the prediction market platform’s return to the American market — a comeback that has been years in the making and months longer than anticipated.
Previously, gaining access to Polymarket’s U.S. exchange required an invitation code and a wait of more than six months. That friction is now gone, replaced by a streamlined onboarding process that takes new users directly to a live trading interface featuring active markets, with a particular emphasis on sporting events.
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How Polymarket got back into the U.S.
Polymarket’s return to its home market was made possible by the acquisition of QCEX, a platform holding a licence from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The purchase gave Polymarket the regulatory standing it needed to re-enter the US, having been penalised in 2022 for offering contracts that did not meet CFTC compliance standards. At the time, the company agreed to pay a fine and restrict US access entirely.
The relaunch was expected sooner, but internal challenges — including leadership questions and complications with the QCEX integration — slowed progress. A phased rollout began late last year with limited trading activity before gradually expanding.
Growing volumes and a clear market position
The gradual opening has already produced meaningful results. Trading volumes surged during major sporting events, with the NCAA basketball tournament and the Masters golf event both driving tens of millions of dollars in activity — clear evidence of strong user appetite ahead of full public access.
Polymarket has since grown into one of the largest regulated prediction platforms in the US, outpacing rivals including Crypto.com. It has not, however, caught market leader Kalshi, which continues to command a commanding share of domestic prediction market trading volume.
What comes next
The elimination of the waitlist is expected to accelerate user growth significantly, opening Polymarket’s U.S. exchange to a far broader audience than its restricted rollout phase could reach. Broader surveys suggest that an increasing share of Americans are engaging with event-based contracts — particularly in sports — bringing prediction markets closer to mainstream betting behaviour.
For now, Polymarket’s U.S. offering is iOS-only, with no confirmed date for an Android version or web access. As the platform scales, the next test will be whether it can begin to close the gap on Kalshi — and whether the broader U.S. prediction market space can sustain the momentum it has built through major sports events into the quieter periods of the calendar.
