Coinbase (COIN) has rolled out a new prediction markets platform to users in the United States, allowing them to trade the results of real-world events such as elections, sports, collectibles, economic indicators, and more.
The platform, announced in December, was built in partnership with Calci, a US-regulated prediction market operator recently valued at $11 billion. Kalsi offers event-based contracts that function like simplified derivatives. Traders buy positions that are “yes” or “no” to a particular outcome, and the price of each contract reflects the probability assigned by the market.
The launch, which the crypto exchange announced in a post on X on Wednesday, will bring prediction markets to Coinbase’s U.S. user base for the first time, just in time for one of the biggest sporting events of the year, the Super Bowl.
Prediction markets have received renewed attention over the past year, with many new entrants competing in the market. Trading volumes on platforms like Polymarket are skyrocketing as more users choose to express their political and economic views through on-chain financial products. These markets are often used to measure real-time public opinion and probabilities, and some investors treat them as an alternative data source.
Coinbase’s entry into this space could significantly increase visibility and liquidity in this space, especially as it provides access to users through existing regulated platforms. Cryptocurrency exchanges have long said they want to be the “everything exchange,” and the launch of prediction markets marks the latest move in that direction.
