Polymarket Returns to the US via Purchase of Options Exchange
Prediction market operator Polymarket has announced its return to the US through the acquisition of derivatives exchange QCX and its affiliated clearinghouse QC Clearing. The entities, collectively known as QCEX, were acquired for $112 million in a move that provides Polymarket with a regulated foothold in the American financial markets.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Florida-based QCX received its license to operate as a designated contract market from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in early July 2025. The license process began in June 2022, marking a multi-year regulatory journey that has now culminated in this acquisition.
Related: X Names Polymarket Its Official Prediction Market PartnerThe purchase follows closely on the heels of a regulatory investigation against Polymarket being dropped, clearing the path for Polymarket's domestic re-entry after years of being officially restricted from US users. The addition of QCX to Polymarket's portfolio grants it the legal framework required to launch prediction-based trading contracts within the US under regulatory oversight.
Polymarket has operated globally as a blockchain-based prediction platform where users place trades based on outcomes in politics, culture, sports, and other live events. The platform saw a sharp rise in engagement during the run-up to the 2024 US presidential election, which say billions of dollars in trades from international users. However, access for US-based participants was officially blocked in 2022 due to regulatory concerns.
The company recently overcame a significant legal hurdle after the Department of Justice and the CFTC ended their investigation into its operations. That inquiry began shortly after President Donald Trump's electoral victory, with a focus on whether US residents had been improperly accessing the site. As part of the investigation, federal agents raided the home of Polymarket's founder and CEO, Shayne Coplan, in November 2024. Earlier this month, Coplan confirmed that the investigation had been formally closed.
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With the regulatory path now cleared, Polymarket sees the acquisition of QCEX as a foundational move toward a compliant and officially sanctioned return to the US market. According to Coplan, acquiring QCX and its clearinghouse enables Polymarket to establish a fully regulated platform that will allow American users to engage in opinion-based trading, reinforcing the company's commitment to operating within US legal frameworks.
Sergei Dobrovolskii, founder of QCEX, expressed support for the merger, noting that Polymarket has emerged as a cultural force within the online prediction space. He highlighted the opportunity to combine the two companies' licenses, technologies, and sector expertise to advance Polymarket's influence in the retail trading market. The transaction is also seen as a strategic alignment of QCEX's regulatory credentials with Polymarket's user base and market innovation.
Polymarket's expansion efforts also extend into digital media partnerships. In June 2025, the company announced a collaboration with Elon Musk's X platform. Through this agreement, Polymarket will leverage the capabilities of X's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, to deliver contextual and data-rich insights to its users.
With the acquisition finalized and regulatory barriers lifted, Polymarket is set to reestablish its presence in the US market. The company's strategy hinges on regulated infrastructure and technological enhancements aimed at reshaping how American users interact with prediction-based financial instruments.
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