Polymarket Launches Perps Market & Raises $700M

Polymarket Evolves from Prediction Market to Full-Scale Exchange

Polymarket is rapidly expanding beyond its prediction market roots on the global stage — despite remaining blocked in South Korea. With the launch of its perpetual futures trading platform, Perps Market, Polymarket is positioning itself as a serious competitor in the derivatives exchange space.

Polymarket Perps Market: Up to 20x Leverage on Crypto, Stocks & Commodities

The newly launched Perps Market supports indefinite futures (perpetual contracts) with up to 20x leverage across crypto, equities, and commodities. This marks a major strategic shift — transforming Polymarket from a simple betting platform into a full-service derivatives exchange competing directly with Robinhood and Coinbase.

Mega Funding Round: $700M Raised at $20B Valuation

Polymarket secured a massive funding round totaling approximately $700 million USD (roughly 1 trillion KRW), with investors including Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital. The company’s valuation now stands at an estimated $20 billion USD — signaling serious institutional confidence in the platform’s future.

NYSE Parent ICE Acquires ~22% Stake in Polymarket

In a landmark move for institutional adoption, ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) — the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) — has acquired approximately a 22% stake in Polymarket, becoming a major shareholder. This level of institutional capital commitment signals that Polymarket is being built as next-generation financial infrastructure.

Global Growth vs. Korean IP Block: A Stark Contrast

While global institutional giants pour billions into Polymarket as the future of decentralized finance, South Korea continues to block access to the platform under a gambling-related regulatory framework. The contrast is stark — and for many in the crypto community, deeply frustrating.

Source: Polymarket on X (Twitter)