In this article, I will talk about Decentralized Prediction Markets, new systems that let users use blockchain to trade outcomes of real-world events. These markets do away with intermediaries, creating transparency, equity, and access to anyone across the globe.
Combining the principles of DeFi with the market’s collective intelligence, decentralized prediction markets are changing the ways people forecast and monetize the events of the future.
Key Points & Decentralized Prediction Markets
| Platform | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Polymarket | A leading decentralized prediction market built on Polygon; users trade on real-world event outcomes using USDC; known for high liquidity, accurate market pricing, and regulatory compliance after CFTC settlement. |
| Myriad | Decentralized platform supporting multi-chain markets; allows prediction trading, sports betting, and social wagering; emphasizes community-driven liquidity and customizable market creation. |
| Drift BET | A Solana-based protocol combining DeFi trading and prediction markets; offers low latency, leveraged bets, and dynamic AMMs; focuses on crypto and sports-related predictions. |
| Kalshi | A CFTC-regulated event trading exchange (centralized); allows users to trade on verified real-world events (e.g., inflation, politics); compliant and available only in the U.S. |
| Robinhood | Not decentralized; offers prediction-like features via stock options and event-based financial products; focuses on ease of use, regulation, and retail access rather than DeFi. |
| Crypto.com | Centralized exchange integrating gamified prediction contests (e.g., price prediction battles); supports crypto-focused prediction markets; emphasizes mainstream accessibility. |
| Hedgehog Markets | Built on Solana; decentralized, permissionless prediction platform with staking rewards; focuses on community governance and crypto-native events. |
| Projection Finance | Decentralized prediction protocol combining yield farming with event markets; users can earn returns while speculating on outcomes; integrates DeFi incentives. |
| SanR.app | Web3 social prediction app where users forecast crypto, sports, or political outcomes; uses on-chain data and NFTs for rewards and reputation tracking. |
| PlotX | Ethereum-based prediction market (also supports Polygon & BNB Chain); focuses on crypto price predictions; automated market making ensures liquidity; rewards paid in PLOT tokens. |
10 Decentralized Prediction Markets
1. Polymarket
Polymarket operates as a decentralized prediction market on the Polygon network, enabling users to trade on the monetary value of outcomes for various real-world events over time, and ultimately settle via USDC.
Users can access the seamless trustless system, and benefit from the market liquidity for events ranging from political to cryptocurrencies to sports, among others. Users can deposit USDC through Polygon compatible wallets, such as MetaMask.
Users redeem USDC back via the Polygon network. Users of the system value the systems for its prediction ability which users crow sourced from the market.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Polygon |
| Deposit Options | USDC |
| Fees | ~2% per market trade |
| Best For | High-liquidity real-world event markets |
| Key Features | Decentralized prediction markets, transparent data, real-time event trading, minimal gas fees, large user base, and coverage across politics, crypto, and sports. |
2. Myriad
Myriad calls itself a decentralized, multi-chain prediction system and as such, bolsters the ability to add event markets, sport betting, and market customization to the existing functionality.
It is an ethos of Myriad to allow the building out of events from community members to enhance sport betting and prediction liquidity. There are a variety of supported prediction custom markets.]
It is ethos of Myriad to allow events to be built out and designed from the community members around sport betting and prediction liquidity. There are supported custom markets for a variety of sports betting.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Multi-chain (Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain) |
| Deposit Options | ETH, MATIC, USDC |
| Fees | 1–2% per trade |
| Best For | Community-driven customizable markets |
| Key Features | User-created markets, decentralized governance, liquidity incentives, cross-chain support, and real-time market updates. |
3. Drift BET
This Drift BET platform is on Solana blockchain. It combines prediction markets with DeFi trading and offers leveraged bets on crypto and sports. Users can take a bet on any sporting game or crypto betting and take advantage of fast speeds and low transaction costs on the Solana blockchain which is known for its quick processing times.
Drift BET would be a great platform for active traders. Users can deposit SOL or USDC which is available on the Solana Phantom wallet. Drift BET is ideal for those who enjoy low-cost betting.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Solana |
| Deposit Options | SOL, USDC |
| Fees | ~1% trading fee |
| Best For | Fast, leveraged crypto and sports predictions |
| Key Features | Solana-based low-latency platform, DeFi integration, leveraged betting, fast settlements, and minimal transaction costs. |
4. Kalshi
Kalshi offers a regulated prediction market with event contracts on economic, political, and cultural outcomes, and is located in the US. It is also the only regulated prediction market in the US with a CFTx in the US.
It is the only prediction market in the US offering economically relevant prediction markets. Kalshi users can deposit via bank transfer, debit card or ACH. It fully regulated and lets traders in the US speculate on real, validated outcomes with economic implications which is great for legality and market prediction in the US.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Centralized (CFTC-regulated exchange) |
| Deposit Options | USD (Bank, ACH, Debit Card) |
| Fees | ~1% per trade |
| Best For | U.S. users seeking regulated event trading |
| Key Features | CFTC approval, verified real-world markets, fiat deposits, and focus on legality and compliance. |
5. Robinhood
Robinhood isn’t quite a DeFi platform but offers prediction-like options with event-driven financial exposure. Speculating on earnings reports, economic trends, and price movements can be done without stepping directly into DeFi.
Deposits are via linked bank accounts, and most trades are commission-free with zero-cost trades hidden via spreads. This platform is primarily for retail investors looking for straightforward, regulated exposure to event-driven outcomes.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Centralized (Traditional finance platform) |
| Deposit Options | USD (Bank Transfer) |
| Fees | $0 commission (spreads apply) |
| Best For | Retail users exploring event-driven investments |
| Key Features | Options and stock trading, easy-to-use interface, high regulatory compliance, and event-based investment opportunities. |
6. Crypto.com
Crypto.com is a centralized exchange offering gamified prediction features like “Price Prediction Battles.” Users can deposit cryptocurrency such as BTC, ETH, USDT, or fiat currency, and forecast price changes to win rewards.
Winner prediction profits are attributed to platform rewards, and the exchange offers low fees, usually under 1%. Although it is not fully decentralized, it provides prediction excitement to mainstream users.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Centralized Exchange |
| Deposit Options | Crypto (BTC, ETH, USDT) & Fiat |
| Fees | <1% per trade |
| Best For | Gamified crypto price predictions |
| Key Features | Prediction battles, crypto contests, easy onboarding, mobile-friendly, and reward-based prediction features. |
7. Hedgehog Markets
Hedgehog Markets, a decentralized prediction platform based on Solana, is focused on governance and community ownership. For crypto, politics, and sports, users stake tokens to create and participate in markets.
Deposits in SOL or USDC have negligible Solana gas fees, and a small platform fee is around 1%. For those in Web3, gain decentralization, staking rewards, and DAO governance.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Solana |
| Deposit Options | SOL, USDC |
| Fees | ~1% platform fee |
| Best For | Decentralized, DAO-based prediction governance |
| Key Features | Permissionless event creation, staking rewards, governance token model, low gas fees, and community ownership. |
8. Projection Finance
Projection Finance allows users to integrate prediction markets with yield farming. Users can simultaneously earn DeFi passive yields while speculating on events. It supports stablecoin deposits, such as USDC or DAI, and is built on Ethereum-compatible chains.
Transaction fees, which range around 1-2%, depend on network gas and trading volume. For DeFi users, prediction opportunities paired with consistent yield generation is highly appealing.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Ethereum-Compatible (EVM) |
| Deposit Options | USDC, DAI |
| Fees | 1–2% trading fee |
| Best For | Yield-focused DeFi prediction traders |
| Key Features | Combines yield farming with predictions, decentralized infrastructure, multi-chain support, and automated liquidity pools. |
9. SanR.app
SanR.app is a Web3 social prediction platform that combines on-chain data and social prediction markets. Users forecast outcomes on crypto, sports, and global events and build their on-chain reputation while earning NFTs.
It accepts crypto deposits like USDC or ETH, and has transaction costs below 1%. Users who like a social-bubble, gamified prediction ecosystem, and blockchain verification, will find SanR.app ideal.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Web3 (Ethereum Layer-2) |
| Deposit Options | USDC, ETH |
| Fees | <1% transaction fee |
| Best For | Social and gamified predictions |
| Key Features | NFT-based reputation, community predictions, leaderboard rewards, social engagement, and cross-category events. |
10. PlotX
PlotX is a decentralized prediction protocol located on the Ethereum, Polygon, and BNB Chains that focuses mainly on crypto price forecasting. It allows the use of Automated Market Makers (AMMs) for liquidity and to create markets seamlessly.
Users can deposit stablecoins like USDT, USDC, or PLOT tokens. There is a 1% platform fee and gas fees of the network. It is ideal for DeFi users who like to predict crypto prices in the short term and need on-chain transparency.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Blockchain | Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain |
| Deposit Options | USDC, USDT, PLOT Token |
| Fees | ~1% per trade |
| Best For | Crypto price prediction markets |
| Key Features | AMM-based liquidity, decentralized governance, DeFi rewards, cross-chain access, and quick resolution systems. |
Conclsuion
To conclude, there is no doubt that decentralized prediction markets allow users to trade outcomes of events with no intermediaries, using blockchains for transparent, fair, liquid, and borderless accessibility. ‘
With Polymarket, Hedgehog Markets, and PlotX, a range of prediction markets that forecast real-world events and crypto events has emerged. These markets are the result of pioneering the use of DeFi with crowd wisdom predicting the future, and that is, the speculation of a range of crypto and real-world events, along with the incentives offered within the digital economy.
FAQ
What are decentralized prediction markets?
They are blockchain-based platforms where users trade on the outcome of real-world events.
How do they work?
Users buy and sell shares representing possible outcomes; market prices reflect collective belief.
Are decentralized prediction markets legal?
Legality varies by country; regulated ones like Kalshi operate legally in the U.S.
Which blockchain do they use?
Popular ones include Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, and BNB Chain.
What can you predict on?
Events like politics, sports, crypto prices, and economics.
