Polymarket Launches Perpetual Futures for Crypto and Stocks

The official Polymarket X account posted: “We price the future. Now you can lever it. Perps are coming to Polymarket.” CEO Shayne Coplan shared the same message on his personal account.

A teaser video showed long/short interfaces for Bitcoin, Nvidia stock, gold, silver, and Apple. Early access sign-ups are open now through a dedicated waitlist page. The product is not yet live.

From Prediction Markets to Perpetual Futures

Polymarket built its name as the leading onchain prediction market. Users bet on real-world events using USDC on Polygon. The platform drew billions in volume during the 2024 U.S. election and reportedly holds a $9 billion valuation.

Until now, every contract on Polymarket resolved at a fixed date. Perpetual futures change that model entirely.

Perps are non-expiring contracts that track spot prices. Traders can go long or short with leverage and hold positions indefinitely. The teaser showed leverage sliders reaching at least 7x and 10x.

Asset coverage spans crypto tokens, U.S. equities, and commodities. Settlement appears to stay in USDC, consistent with the platform.

Polymarket Perpetual Futures Take Aim at Rivals

The timing is no accident. Hours before the tweet, reports surfaced that Kalshi plans its own perpetual product called “Timeless.”

Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour teased the feature days earlier. The reported launch date is April 27 in New York.

Both platforms are making the same bet. They believe prediction markets can capture a share of 24/7 leveraged trading volume. Crypto exchanges like Hyperliquid and Binance currently dominate that space, so the perp market handles over $100 billion daily.

For Polymarket, the move could pull its user base into a higher-frequency product. For Kalshi, it signals similar ambition from the regulated side. As a result, the race shows prediction markets no longer want to stay in their lane.

What the Product Looks Like

Based on the teaser, the interface mirrors standard perp platforms. Users choose long or short, pick a size, and adjust leverage with a slider. Real-time charts and quick order entry appear in the demo.

Funding rates will presumably keep prices aligned with spot. Polymarket has released no full specs yet. Key unknowns include fee structure, max leverage caps, and liquidation mechanics.

No whitepaper or documentation accompanies the announcement. That fits Polymarket’s style: tease the product, open the waitlist, then ship.

Regulatory Questions Remain Open

Polymarket has historically navigated U.S. access with caution. The platform restricted U.S. users from certain markets after a 2022 CFTC settlement. Perpetual futures add fresh regulatory complexity, since they remain restricted for most U.S. retail traders.

Broader U.S. availability could reshape the competitive map. Kalshi holds a CFTC-regulated exchange license, which may give it an edge for stateside perps. Polymarket has not disclosed its compliance strategy for this product.

What Comes Next for Polymarket Perpetual Futures

The waitlist is live and sign-ups are open. No confirmed launch date exists yet. The timing, just days after Kalshi’s reveal, suggests Polymarket wants to move fast.

Once live, the feature tests whether Polymarket’s brand can pull liquidity from established perp venues. Execution speed, capital efficiency, and competitive fees will decide this expansion’s fate.

For a platform that made its name pricing the future, the next chapter is letting traders lever that price. Whether Polymarket can deliver remains the open question heading into launch.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Trading perpetual futures involves significant risk. Always do your own research.