The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued an Amended Order of Designation to Polymarkets on Monday, allowing the predictions platform to operate a fully regulated, intermediated trading venue in the U.S. The approval means U.S. users will be able to access Polymarket contracts through futures commission merchants and traditional brokerage channels.
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The decision places the prediction-market operator under the same regulatory obligations as federally supervised exchanges. It comes as Polymarket prepares to resume operations in the United States after securing approval from the CFTC that ending a years-long regulatory standoff that forced the platform to block domestic users in 2022.
CFTC Approval Opens the Door to a Regulated Comeback
The approval allows the company to offer intermediated access for the first time. U.S. users will now be able to trade Polymarket contracts through futures commission merchants and traditional brokerage channels, bringing the platform into alignment with federally regulated market infrastructure.
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"People rely on Polymarket because we provide clarity where there is confusion and accountability where there is ambiguity," said Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket.
"This approval allows us to operate in a way that reflects the maturity and transparency that the U.S. regulatory framework demands. We're grateful for the constructive engagement with the CFTC and look forward to continuing to demonstrate leadership as a regulated U.S. exchange."
The designation places Polymarket under the full obligations applied to Designated Contract Markets, including surveillance requirements, market-supervision protocols, clearing rules and Part 16 reporting standards.
The company said it will implement additional rules and processes tied to intermediated trading before opening U.S. access.
The approval follows Polymarket’s plan to relaunch in the United States after blocking U.S. users in 2022 when regulatory scrutiny increased. The company stated last month that it expected to reopen domestically in November, and the new designation formalizes that path.
A New Compliance Framework for Prediction Markets
To meet its obligations under the amended order, Polymarket developed updated surveillance systems, market-supervision rules, clearing procedures and reporting capabilities. It remains subject to the full provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and all CFTC regulations governing U.S. exchanges.
The approval marks Polymarket’s most significant regulatory milestone to date and positions the platform to reenter the U.S. with a structure similar to established futures markets.
Its return will bring prediction-market trading back to U.S. users through regulated financial intermediaries, reshaping how retail and institutional traders access event-based contracts.
Early this month, Polymarket begun allowing a limited group of U.S. users to place real-money trades as the platform tests its U.S. exchange ahead of a planned full reopening next month. Coplan described the rollout as a beta phase in which the platform matches actual user trades on event-based contracts.
