ICE Moves to Invest $2B in Polymarket Prediction Market
- ICE plans a $2B investment in Polymarket, pushing its valuation to nearly $10 billion.
- The deal links ICE’s global finance network with Polymarket’s decentralized prediction tools.
- Polymarket’s U.S. launch stalls as CFTC halts certifications amid ongoing government shutdown.
Intercontinental Exchange, the operator of the New York Stock Exchange, is making a $2 billion investment in Polymarket. The deal would value the blockchain-based prediction platform between $8 billion and $10 billion.
The investment follows months of speculation about Polymarket’s fundraising plans. In September, the company was reportedly targeting a $9 to $10 billion valuation. ICE’s involvement could accelerate Polymarket’s global reach and strengthen its legitimacy within regulated markets.
ICE and Polymarket Unite to Bridge Finance and Blockchain Innovation
Under the deal, ICE would distribute Polymarket’s event-driven data to global clients. The partnership would give traders and analysts new tools to measure sentiment on political, cultural, and economic events. ICE and Polymarket also plan to explore tokenization projects, linking traditional finance with emerging decentralized markets.
Jeffrey Sprecher, Chair and CEO of ICE, said that Polymarket’s leadership has built a strong foundation focused on product and distribution. He said ICE and Polymarket could serve markets that few others could reach. Sprecher praised founder Shayne Coplan for assembling a user-driven team that pushes innovation in prediction markets.
The investment represents a dramatic rise in Polymarket’s valuation. In June 2025, Founders Fund, led by Peter Thiel, invested $200 million, valuing the company at $1 billion. Since then, Polymarket has attracted major investors, including Donald Trump Jr., whose firm 1789 Capital made a multimillion-dollar investment. Trump Jr. also joined Polymarket’s advisory board in August.
Polymarket’s growth follows regulatory relief earlier this year. In July 2025, the Department of Justice and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission closed investigations into the company. This decision allowed Polymarket to resume plans for a U.S. expansion that had been on hold for years due to compliance issues.
Polymarket Expands Tech Ties but Faces U.S. Relaunch Setback
The company has also increased its technology associates. Polymarket declared a partnership with the X platform of Elon Musk in June. The deal incorporates its prediction markets into the Grok chatbot of xAI, which provides up-to-date analytics on global events.
However, the company’s U.S. relaunch faces a serious setback. The ongoing government shutdown that began on October 1 has halted the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s operations. Polymarket had planned to reenter the U.S. market through its acquisition of QCEX, a designated contract market. The CFTC’s certification process, required for launching new contracts, is now frozen.
Related: Polymarket Would Relaunch in The US This Week With DCM License
During past government shutdowns, the CFTC has consistently paused its self-certification process, with similar suspensions occurring in 2013, 2018, and 2019. Without this clearance, Polymarket is unable to introduce new U.S. contracts on political or economic events, allowing its competitor, Kalshi, to strengthen its position in the domestic market.
Polymarket’s regulatory journey has been lengthy. In late 2024, the Department of Justice investigated the company for serving U.S. users without the necessary CFTC registration. Authorities reportedly searched the home of founder Shayne Coplan during the probe. The case was closed in July 2025 after the company reached an agreement with regulators.
Afterward, Coplan announced that Polymarket had obtained limited approval to restart operations. However, the ongoing government shutdown has once again stalled its U.S. expansion. Until federal agencies resume normal activity, Polymarket’s return to the American market remains uncertain, keeping investors and traders on hold.
