Polymarket shone in 2024 by accurately forecasting Donald Trump’s presidential win, with odds peaking at 95% on election night.
Kalshi boomed after its 2024 court win against the CFTC legalised US election betting for the first time in decades, contributing to the sector’s explosive growth. Both platforms energised the space, with combined trading volumes approaching $40 billion in 2025, driven by politics, sports, economics, and media deals.
Kalshi covers mainstream events like Fed rates, Oscars, and Tesla deliveries, though no official markets with catchy advertisement like “Will Jesus return” and an actual tongue In cheek poll from Polymarket “Will Jesus Christ Return in 2025?” (which drew $3.3 million in volume), showing that there is no end of appetite amongst their community for tongue in cheek bets!
Now think of the possibility of blending in crypto rewards, Adding crypto rewards, inspired by Iggy Azalea’s Motherland online casino. The casino launched in late 2024 and powered exclusively by her MOTHER memecoin for games, betting, and perks could be an interesting concept for the betting space, boosting user engagement and loyalty. By tying the token to real utility in the betting markets, it could create sustained demand and value beyond pure speculation, blending celebrity appeal with practical in-platform use.
Polymarket already embraces crypto deeply, running on Polygon with USDC and daily liquidity rewards. Kalshi, CFTC-regulated and fiat-focused, allows crypto deposits but faces stricter rules on speculative incentives.
In Trump’s pro-crypto administration as of early 2026, complete with January 2025 executive orders promoting growth, the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve from seized assets, the GENIUS Act establishing a framework for stablecoins, friendly appointees, and dropped enforcement actions, deeper integration looks timely and supported. Platforms have thrived under loosened regs, with Polymarket gaining broader US access in late 2025, and crypto perks could enhance engagement and global appeal without major hurdles.
With such powerful tailwinds positioning the US as the “crypto capital of the world”, early movers can surf the momentum, avoiding the pain of building systems that don’t work for crypto in the future and instead positioning themselves for seamless scalability as the tech becomes indispensable. Innovative reward systems set platforms up for lasting leadership in this fast-evolving arena.