Polymarket seeks to rebuild trust after returning to U.S. market

Prediction market platform Polymarket has launched a broad campaign to rebuild trust and reposition its business following its return to the U.S. market after four years, as it seeks to distance its regulated domestic exchange from its offshore international platform.

The company is aiming to convince regulators, policymakers and customers that its U.S. business operates under a stricter compliance framework than its international counterpart, which has previously drawn scrutiny over its operations and the types of markets it offered, reports the Associated Press.

Polymarket has expanded its marketing efforts through partnerships with Major League Baseball, major sports teams, CNBC and CNN, while also increasing its presence on social media platforms including TikTok and X.

The company returned to the U.S. market at the end of 2025 after acquiring derivatives exchange QCEX, obtaining the regulatory licence needed to operate domestically. Its U.S. platform is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), uses U.S. dollars instead of cryptocurrency and offers a narrower range of contracts under tighter regulatory oversight than its international platform.

Polymarket has also expanded its compliance team with hires from Coinbase, Robinhood, the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI. The appointments include Dan Lee from Coinbase as head of U.S. operations, Megan McGrath as chief compliance officer and Natalie Oblazny, both formerly of Coinbase and Robinhood, respectively, along with former Justice Department and FBI officials in enforcement and surveillance roles.

“Trust is the product we are building here,” Lee said.

Industry analysts say the domestic platform operates under a markedly different regulatory framework from the international business.

“Polymarket U.S. is supposed to comply with U.S. law and regulations. Polymarket International is where anything goes,” Todd Phillips of the Roosevelt Institute said.

Polymarket’s return comes as prediction markets have grown rapidly in popularity. Combined trading volume across Polymarket and rival Kalshi has risen to $26.6 billion from $9.75 billion in October last year, with Kalshi accounting for about two-thirds of trading activity. Kalshi was recently valued at $22 billion.

The sector has also benefited from a more supportive regulatory environment under the Trump administration. Donald Trump Jr. is an investor in Polymarket through venture capital firm 1789 Capital.

However, Polymarket’s rebranding effort has faced setbacks. The Wall Street Journal reported that some of the company’s influencer marketing campaigns allegedly featured simulated profitable trades presented as genuine. Separately, Politico reported that a Polymarket executive paid at least 20 political content creators, many of whom did not disclose the partnerships.

In response to the reports, Polymarket said it is investigating its marketing and promotional campaigns.

The company’s international platform has also continued to attract controversy, including trading tied to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and questions over possible insider trading before U.S. President Donald Trump announced a U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

Lee said those incidents had overshadowed progress made by the regulated U.S. platform.

“I think having the international business being the bulk of the volume, it often sort of masks the progress we are making here in the U.S. to broaden Polymarket’s acceptance,” he said.