The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, is reportedly close to finalizing a $2 billion investment in Polymarket, the leading blockchain-based prediction market.
Sources told Bloomberg that the deal could value the platform at up to $10 billion, sending ICE’s stock up more than 4% after the reports surfaced.
Wall Street Enters Prediction Markets
Founded in 2020 by Shayne Coplan, Polymarket lets users bet on the outcome of real-world events – ranging from elections and economic data to sports and entertainment – using cryptocurrency. The platform functions like a decentralized exchange rather than a sportsbook, with users trading “shares” that represent event probabilities. By using blockchain and stablecoins such as USDC, Polymarket enables instant, transparent settlements without intermediaries.
The platform’s rapid rise has attracted high-profile backers, including Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, which led a funding round earlier this year, and Donald Trump Jr., who joined as an adviser. ICE’s potential investment would mark the first major Wall Street entry into the decentralized prediction market sector, signaling growing institutional confidence in blockchain-based finance.
From Regulatory Setback to U.S. Comeback
Polymarket’s path to legitimacy has been turbulent. In 2022, the CFTC fined the company $1.4 million for operating an unregistered trading platform and forced it to block U.S. users. Three years later, Polymarket reemerged by acquiring a licensed CFTC exchange called QCX, fast-tracking its compliance process. In September 2025, it secured a no-action letter from the CFTC, clearing the way to relaunch in the U.S.
The move positioned Polymarket as one of the few blockchain-based platforms operating with explicit federal approval. Analysts believe this regulatory milestone paved the way for ICE’s interest, as the exchange operator looks to bridge traditional finance and emerging onchain markets.
Prediction Markets Go Mainstream
Industry experts say prediction markets could soon evolve into a new class of financial instruments. By aggregating bets into real-time probability data, platforms like Polymarket generate insights that hedge funds, analysts, and even policymakers can use. ICE’s involvement could accelerate the integration of such data into regulated financial products.
Market research from Techopedia projects that the global prediction market industry, currently worth about $1.5 billion, could grow to $95 billion by 2035. If the ICE deal closes, Polymarket would gain both capital and credibility to lead this emerging industry – potentially redefining how markets price real-world events.
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Source: https://coindoo.com/new-york-stock-exchange-owner-to-invest-2-billion-in-polymarket/