ICE to invest $2B in Polymarket as U.S. return nears
Albert Flores
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent of the New York Stock Exchange, has committed up to $2 billion for a ~20% stake in Polymarket, valuing the prediction-markets platform at roughly $8 billion pre-money. Reuters+2Financial Times
As part of the deal, ICE will serve as a global distributor of Polymarket’s “event-driven data” and partner in blockchain/tokenization initiatives. Axios
This comes after the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) granted Polymarket conditional clearance via a no-action letter, allowing it to resume U.S. operations under certain constraints. The Block+2Reuters Polymarket’s prior acquisition of QCEX, a CFTC-licensed exchange and clearinghouse, also paves its regulatory pathway. Reuters
Polymarket previously agreed to block U.S. users under a 2022 CFTC settlement over unregistered derivatives activity. Proskauer+3Reuters+3Financial Times+3 The new investment and regulatory developments suggest a major pivot toward institutional legitimacy.
Why it matters: This move signals Wall Street’s growing confidence in prediction markets, offering them a bridge into traditional finance. The success hinges on regulatory stability, execution, and how Polymarket monetizes its data and tokenization capabilities.
