BCGAME - Free 5BTC Daily Bonus!- Prediction markets outperform volume since 2024 election
- Kalshi and Polymarket compete for industry leadership
- ICE's investment reinforces its commitment to on-chain forecasting
The escalating battle between Kalshi and Polymarket is pushing prediction markets to new highs in 2025. In September, Polymarket handled $1,43 billion, while Kalshi achieved its best-ever performance, with over $3 billion in processed volume. This joint advance led to the highest weekly volume since the 2024 presidential election, according to data from Dune Analytics.
The increase isn't limited to volume. Kalshi recorded 3,4 million weekly transactions, marking three consecutive weeks of all-time highs. However, the discrepancy between total volume and the number of transactions suggests smaller, more distributed bets, contrasting with the large movements of previous cycles, such as the US election.
A new boost came after Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the operator of the New York Stock Exchange, invested a billion-dollar amount in Polymarket. This initiative reflects the growing institutional interest in blockchain-based prediction markets and highlights the relevance of Polymarket's decentralized infrastructure compared to Kalshi's centralized approach.
Despite the fierce competition, some downplay the competitive tone. "I think the idea of 'predictive market wars' is exaggerated. The total addressable market is so large that multiple players can succeed," commented Marcin Kaźmierczak, co-founder of RedStone. He advocated for the coexistence of platforms and highlighted the potential of integrating AI, oracles, and prediction markets to create new applications.
Internally, Kalshi is trying to soften its image following controversies involving influencers allegedly paid to criticize Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan, following an FBI investigation. In an attempt to reconcile with the cryptocurrency community, Kalshi launched a new marketing strategy featuring well-known names like John Wang, IcoBeast, and 0xUltra, although details of this partnership have not yet been disclosed.
While the rivalry continues, the prediction markets sector is clearly maturing, attracting both institutional capital and the attention of investors from the crypto ecosystem.
