Prediction markets posted their highest single-day trading volume on record this week, reaching $701.7 million despite mounting regulatory pressure from state authorities across the country.

Kalshi dominated the day's activity with $465.9 million in volume, accounting for roughly two-thirds of total trading. Polymarket and Opinion combined for approximately $100 million in trades, according to Gate Research data from Dune Analytics.

The record broke the previous high of $666.6 million set just one day earlier, with Kalshi maintaining a similar share of overall volume.

Prediction Markets Volume Surge Follows Explosive Growth Year

The January trading spike continues momentum from Kalshi's breakout 2025, when the platform processed $23.8 billion in total volume, representing year-over-year growth exceeding 1,100%. The company handled 97 million transactions last year, up more than 1,680% from 2024.

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December proved particularly strong, generating $6.38 billion in monthly volume as sports betting contracts drove platform usage.

Traditional crypto exchanges including Coinbase and Gemini have moved to integrate prediction markets into their platforms, while self-custody wallets like MetaMask have added similar functionality. The expansion has attracted Wall Street interest, with Kalshi and Polymarket now carrying multibillion-dollar valuations.

However, recent blockchain analysis revealed that 70% of prediction market traders lose money, mirroring the loss rates seen among retail CFD investors.

Maduro Bet Triggers Fresh Scrutiny

A Polymarket user placed roughly $32,000 in bets on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's removal just hours before U.S. forces captured him, ultimately collecting more than $400,000 in winnings. The account was created in late December and made only Venezuela-related wagers before being deleted.

The timing raised immediate concerns about potential insider knowledge of U.S. military operations. "There are a lot of telltale signs that make it seem like insider trading," Stephen Piepgrass, a regulatory attorney at Troutman Pepper Locke specializing in futures trading, told CBS News.

Polymarket data showed odds of Maduro's exit at just 6.5% on the afternoon of January 2, jumping to 11% before midnight and spiking in early hours of January 3 before Trump announced the capture. Another account following a similar pattern collected $80,000.

New York lawmakers are reviewing legislation that would ban prediction markets tied to politics, sports, stock prices, and certain other categories. The proposed ORACLE Act would grant the state attorney general enforcement authority including injunctions and monetary penalties.

Moreover, Tennessee regulators recently ordered Kalshi and competitors to cease sports-related contracts, joining at least 10 other states that have taken action against the platforms.​

State-Federal Jurisdiction Battle Intensifies

Connecticut, Nevada, and New Jersey have attempted to restrict prediction market operations, prompting legal challenges from platform operators.

The platforms argue their CFTC registration as designated contract markets allows them to operate nationwide regardless of state gambling restrictions. Kalshi has filed federal lawsuits challenging cease-and-desist orders in multiple jurisdictions, claiming states lack authority over federally regulated derivatives exchanges.

Ukrainian authorities blocked access to Polymarket in December, classifying the platform's offerings as unlicensed gambling. The ban, issued December 10 by Ukraine's National Commission for the Regulation of Electronic Communications, cited the platform's role in enabling bets on geopolitical developments related to Russia's invasion.

Polymarket is now blocked or restricted in 33 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Australia, Iran, and Russia.