The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approved a plan submitted by commodities futures trading platform Polymarket to resume limited U.S. operations through a registered intermediary. The approval permits the platform to offer select real money event contracts within a federally supervised structure.

Polymarket previously withdrew from the U.S. following a 2022 CFTC enforcement action that identified unregistered event contract activity. The company has since restructured its operations and aligned itself with a regulated exchange that can list, clear, and monitor event contracts that fall within federal derivatives rules.

The CFTC’s approval signals an important policy shift. Although the regulator has historically raised concerns about consumer protection, market integrity, and the potential spread of unregulated wagering activity tied to event contracts, the agency is now indicating that certain forms of prediction markets can fit within the Commodity Exchange Act when supported by appropriate oversight. Polymarket will operate under a model that requires reporting, surveillance, recordkeeping, and customer protections that mirror other regulated derivatives markets.

For states that regulate sports wagering, fantasy contests, gaming, or digital asset markets, the development is noteworthy. Event contracts are based on predictions about topics that intersect with state jurisdiction, including sporting events, political outcomes, economic indicators, and other events of social significance. The CFTC’s action provides a more defined federal framework that states may look to when evaluating similar offerings, related marketing practices, or cross-border activity that reaches consumers in their jurisdictions.

The decision suggests that companies exploring prediction markets or blockchain-based derivatives may continue to have a viable long-term route to U.S. market access. The approval also provides an emerging roadmap for structuring event contract offerings in a way that aligns with federal regulatory expectations. For companies operating in these markets, early engagement with both federal and state regulators will remain critical.