Kalshi and Polymarket eye $20bn valuations
WSJ reports talks valuing each near $20bn, after Kalshi's $1bn Series E at $11bn and ICE's $2bn Polymarket deal.
The CFTC issued a proposed rule on Oct. 9 that would explicitly include sports, politics and weather event contracts within the definition of a “swap,” according to the supplied summary. The proposal carries a 30-day comment period.
A proposed classification change
The measure puts the regulatory treatment of those three event-contract categories at the center of the latest US rulemaking development. For prediction-market readers, the key distinction is that the change described in the summary is a proposal, not a finalized rule.
The summary also mentions an interim final rule. However, it ends before describing that rule’s substance, scope or effective date, leaving its relationship to the proposed definition change unclear.
Details remain limited
The update was published on Oct. 10, 2026, at 7:54 PM ET. No source links or reporting outlet were supplied, and the available material does not explain how either measure would affect particular contracts or platforms.
What it means for prediction markets
- Contract classification is the central issue: The proposal explicitly addresses sports, politics and weather event contracts through the “swap” definition.
- The process remains open: The 30-day comment period is a procedural step, not confirmation that the proposed language will become final.
- The two measures need separate scrutiny: The summary provides too little information about the interim final rule to establish its immediate implications.
Sources & attribution
- [1]Gamblerss (gamblerss.com)https://gamblerss.com/report-kalshi-and-polymarket-eyeing-20bn-valuations-while-pursuing-new-funding-59100
Date & time:
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