Latest news with #Polymarket
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stablecoins Are the ‘Quiet Winners' of Polymarket's Surge: Coinbase Research
As Polymarket seeks a $1 billion valuation in a Founders Fund-led round, the 'quiet winners' may be the stablecoins underpinning its settlement infrastructure, Coinbase analysts wrote in a Friday research report. All of the platform's trades settle in Circle's USDC on Polygon, creating measurable demand for the dollar-pegged token. And while lending protocols lock capital in pools, prediction markets like Polymarket cycle funds at a high velocity — settling, redeploying and transferring balances continuously, the analysts said. The platform has processed more than $14 billion in lifetime trading volume. In May alone, it cleared $1 billion, with daily active traders averaging between 20,000 and 30,000. Meanwhile, in the immediate aftermath of U.S. President Donald Trump's re-election in November 2024, monthly volume soared to $2.5 billion, sparking corresponding spikes in USDC transfers and bridge activity. Such flows demonstrate how stablecoins now power real-time market infrastructure. 'Momentum is likely to accelerate further with a new content partnership with X, positioning prediction markets as viral social content rather than purely financial tools,' the report said. Sign in to access your portfolio
Economic Times
a day ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Can Bitcoin hit $250K? Mudrex CEO Edul Patel makes a case for long-term investing amid macro uncertainty
With Bitcoin hovering in the global spotlight, speculation around its future price continues to dominate market conversations. ADVERTISEMENT Can the world's most popular cryptocurrency really touch $250,000 in the near future? According to Edul Patel, CEO of crypto investing platform Mudrex, the answer isn't a simple yes or no—but there are strong arguments to believe in the long-term bullish case. Monetary Trends Favor Risk Assets In a panel discussion on ETMarkets Livestream, Patel explains that the current global macro setup is turning increasingly supportive of Bitcoin. 'We are seeing continuous growth in global monetary supply, with M2 hitting an all-time high,' he notes. Historically, such a rise has led to gradual inflows into risk assets like Bitcoin, unless checked by high interest rates. However, interest rates are now on a downward trajectory globally. 'Polymarket (world's largest prediction market) is already pricing in a 50–100 bps rate cut this year. Once the Fed joins the rate-cutting bandwagon, it could unlock further risk-on sentiment,' Patel explains. Bitcoin Becomes Less Volatile as Others Wobble Interestingly, Bitcoin's own volatility has declined, even as global macro volatility has increased. This contrast, Patel says, is turning Bitcoin into a relatively less risky asset in a riskier world. "If investors want to deploy capital today, Bitcoin offers a compelling risk-reward trade-off," he adds. ADVERTISEMENT Moreover, unlike previous cycles driven by retail hype and altcoin speculation, this cycle is institution-led. 'Over $46 billion has already flowed into Bitcoin ETFs, taking their total AUM to $75 billion. If this continues, we could very well see another $150 billion flow in—not improbable at all,' Patel highlights. Geopolitical Headwinds Still Pose a Threat ADVERTISEMENT Despite the strong monetary backdrop, geopolitics remains a key overhang. Patel cautions that ongoing conflicts—whether in Ukraine, the Middle East, or other regions—are injecting uncertainty that pushes capital toward safer, non-risk assets. 'Right now, it's not the perfect setup for a massive Bitcoin rally. But if peace breaks out and oil prices drop, liquidity could return and boost crypto prices meaningfully,' he adds. AI, Tokenization & the Future of Crypto Commenting on emerging trends, Patel is optimistic about the intersection of AI and tokenization. 'AI bots are making traders smarter, while tokenization is expanding access to financial assets. We're seeing treasury bills, real estate, and even AI compute resources being tokenized,' he notes. ADVERTISEMENT Still, these developments are not directly driving Bitcoin prices. 'Tokenization benefits the broader crypto ecosystem, but Bitcoin continues to function in a separate lane—as digital gold or an alternative reserve currency,' he explains. SIP Mindset & Asset Allocation: A Timeless Strategy For investors looking to enter the space, Patel offers timeless advice: start small, invest regularly, and think long-term. 'I literally do a daily SIP of $10 into Bitcoin. That's the best way to build exposure without worrying about price swings,' he shares. ADVERTISEMENT He recommends allocating 3–5% of one's net wealth into crypto. 'Wealth creation is about recurring, steady investments. There are no shortcuts—only discipline,' he emphasizes. What Should Investors Do? While $250,000 may seem like a bold number, Patel argues it's not outlandish given the current monetary trends, institutional flows, and Bitcoin's growing role as a safe haven. However, near-term headwinds like geopolitical instability remain a investors, the takeaway is clear: focus on long-term participation, manage your exposure prudently, and avoid chasing speculative cycles. Whether Bitcoin hits $250K or not, the real value lies in disciplined investing. Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Can Bitcoin hit $250K? Mudrex CEO Edul Patel makes a case for long-term investing amid macro uncertainty
With Bitcoin hovering in the global spotlight, speculation around its future price continues to dominate market conversations. Can the world's most popular cryptocurrency really touch $250,000 in the near future? According to Edul Patel, CEO of crypto investing platform Mudrex, the answer isn't a simple yes or no—but there are strong arguments to believe in the long-term bullish case. Monetary Trends Favor Risk Assets In a panel discussion on ETMarkets Livestream, Patel explains that the current global macro setup is turning increasingly supportive of Bitcoin. 'We are seeing continuous growth in global monetary supply, with M2 hitting an all-time high,' he notes. Historically, such a rise has led to gradual inflows into risk assets like Bitcoin, unless checked by high interest rates. Crypto Tracker TOP COIN SETS Crypto Blue Chip - 5 2.24% Buy DeFi Tracker 0.21% Buy NFT & Metaverse Tracker -0.33% Buy AI Tracker -1.06% Buy Web3 Tracker -3.14% Buy TOP COINS (₹) BNB 55,172 ( -0.4% ) Buy Bitcoin 9,157,371 ( -0.49% ) Buy Ethereum 209,555 ( -0.54% ) Buy Solana 12,146 ( -1.39% ) Buy XRP 179 ( -4.03% ) Buy However, interest rates are now on a downward trajectory globally. 'Polymarket (world's largest prediction market) is already pricing in a 50–100 bps rate cut this year. Once the Fed joins the rate-cutting bandwagon, it could unlock further risk-on sentiment,' Patel explains. Did you Know? The world of cryptocurrencies is very dynamic. Prices can go up or down in a matter of seconds. Thus, having reliable answers to such questions is crucial for investors. View Details » Live Events Bitcoin Becomes Less Volatile as Others Wobble Interestingly, Bitcoin's own volatility has declined, even as global macro volatility has increased. This contrast, Patel says, is turning Bitcoin into a relatively less risky asset in a riskier world. "If investors want to deploy capital today, Bitcoin offers a compelling risk-reward trade-off," he adds. Moreover, unlike previous cycles driven by retail hype and altcoin speculation, this cycle is institution-led. 'Over $46 billion has already flowed into Bitcoin ETFs, taking their total AUM to $75 billion. If this continues, we could very well see another $150 billion flow in—not improbable at all,' Patel highlights. Geopolitical Headwinds Still Pose a Threat Despite the strong monetary backdrop, geopolitics remains a key overhang. Patel cautions that ongoing conflicts—whether in Ukraine, the Middle East, or other regions—are injecting uncertainty that pushes capital toward safer, non-risk assets. 'Right now, it's not the perfect setup for a massive Bitcoin rally. But if peace breaks out and oil prices drop, liquidity could return and boost crypto prices meaningfully,' he adds. AI, Tokenization & the Future of Crypto Commenting on emerging trends, Patel is optimistic about the intersection of AI and tokenization. 'AI bots are making traders smarter, while tokenization is expanding access to financial assets. We're seeing treasury bills, real estate, and even AI compute resources being tokenized,' he notes. Still, these developments are not directly driving Bitcoin prices. 'Tokenization benefits the broader crypto ecosystem, but Bitcoin continues to function in a separate lane—as digital gold or an alternative reserve currency,' he explains. SIP Mindset & Asset Allocation: A Timeless Strategy For investors looking to enter the space, Patel offers timeless advice: start small, invest regularly, and think long-term. 'I literally do a daily SIP of $10 into Bitcoin. That's the best way to build exposure without worrying about price swings,' he shares. He recommends allocating 3–5% of one's net wealth into crypto. 'Wealth creation is about recurring, steady investments. There are no shortcuts—only discipline,' he emphasizes. What Should Investors Do? While $250,000 may seem like a bold number, Patel argues it's not outlandish given the current monetary trends, institutional flows, and Bitcoin's growing role as a safe haven. However, near-term headwinds like geopolitical instability remain a hurdle. For investors, the takeaway is clear: focus on long-term participation, manage your exposure prudently, and avoid chasing speculative cycles. Whether Bitcoin hits $250K or not, the real value lies in disciplined investing.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalshi, Polymarket Crack $1B Valuations, Ride Political Wave
A day after futures trading platform Polymarket closed in on a funding round that would value it at more than $1 billion, rival prediction market company Kalshi on Wednesday said it had completed a round valuing it at $2 billion. The firms surged in popularity last fall by offering election-related contracts, when many Republicans embraced prediction markets for providing alternative data points to traditional political polls. More from Tribes Dispute Kalshi Claims of 'Productive' Talks on Futures Don't Be So Quick to Blame the House Case for College Sports Cuts Senate Budget Suggests Sports Has Chance to Evade New Taxes While Kalshi and Polymarket have turned to sports betting markets to generate the bulk of their trading volume this year, their outlook continues to be brightened by political allies. U.S. conservatives largely favor reduced regulation of futures trading and cryptocurrency. With Republicans controlling the House, Senate and presidency, it is unlikely the financial technology upstarts will face imminent pushback at the federal level. Kalshi counts Donald Trump Jr., son of President Donald Trump, as an advisor. It also has ties to Brian Quintenz, the nominee to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the federal regulatory agency that currently oversees prediction markets. Kalshi has argued in several ongoing court cases that the CFTC should have exclusive oversight of its platform, not the state gaming regulators who say the company offers what amounts to sports betting masked as a financial asset class. Tribal groups have also strongly opposed the rise of sports prediction markets, while traditional sportsbook operators like DraftKings and FanDuel are keeping a close eye on developments. Under President Joe Biden, the CFTC fought Kalshi in court over the right to offer election contracts and opposed the sports offerings introduced weeks ahead of Trump's inauguration. Amid a series of resignations and retirements, none of the commissioners at the CFTC before Jan. 20 are expected to still be there when Quintenz is confirmed. Quintenz has said he will let Trump decide whether to fill the four open commissioner roles. 'I don't tell the president what to do,' Quintenz said to U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in a committee hearing earlier this month. Polymarket, despite being headquartered in New York City, does not yet offer its markets in the U.S. But it has tried to build relationships with Americans, recently striking a partnership with social media giant X that makes it the 'official prediction market partner' of Elon Musk's company. That deal includes data integrations with Grok, X's AI service. Polymarket's still-to-be-closed funding round of $200 million at a valuation above $1 billion, first reported by The Information, is being led by Founders Fund—an organization operated by conservative venture capitalist Peter Thiel. Kalshi's $185 million round at a valuation of $2 billion is being led by Paradigm. Multicoin Capital, Sequoia, Neo, and Peng Zhao, the CEO of Citadel Securities, participated in the round, according to a statement announcing the deal. 'This round brings in some of the leading investors in blockchain and crypto to accelerate the adoption of emergent asset classes,' Kalshi said in its announcement. 'The investment marks just the third time that Paradigm has invested in a company outside of the crypto industry, with the other two being finance giant Citadel and payments giant Stripe.' Polymarket declined to comment. Best of Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia and Collectibles in History The 100 Most Valuable Sports Teams in the World NFL Private Equity Ownership Rules: PE Can Now Own Stakes in Teams Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalshi Joins Polymarket in Unicorn Club With Latest Fundraise: Report
Prediction market Kalshi, a federally regulated competitor to Polymarket, has raised $185 million at a valuation of $2 billion, according to a press release. This round brings the company's total funding to date to $415 million, the release says. Kalshi said it plans to use the funding to scale the engineering team, launch new market structures, and collaborate with new partners. This comes less than a day after reports emerged that Polymarket was raising $200 million at a valuation of $1 billion, led by Peter Thiel's Founders Fund. Publicly available data from Kalshi's API curated by Polymarket Analytics (not affiliated with Polymarket) shows that Kalshi has around $113 million in current active trading volume across all open markets, while Polymarket has just under $600 million. Kalshi now hosts more active markets than Polymarket, but remains behind in open interest, a key metric that reflects liquidity and trader conviction in prediction markets. A Dune dashboard shows that Polymarket has around 186,000 active traders. Paradigm led Kalshi's latest round. The crypto-focused VC recently led the Series A round for GTE, a decentralized exchange (DEX) that looks to rival HyperLiquid in speed. In January, Donald Trump Jr. announced he was joining Kalshi as a senior advisor. UPDATE (June 25, 2025, 20:00 UTC): Updates with figures based on a release sent by Kalshi versus Bloomberg reporting. Sign in to access your portfolio
