Polymarket overview
Polymarket lets users trade shares in event outcomes. Each share is priced between $0 and $1, and a winning share pays $1.00 USDC at resolution, so the price reads as the market’s implied probability.
Two things set it apart: trades are always against another user rather than the house, and the platform publishes precise, category-based taker-fee rates while charging makers nothing. Its international platform is, however, close-only in a long list of jurisdictions — including the United States and the United Kingdom.
Key features
Peer-to-peer trading
Every trade is against another user, not the house, so prices are set by supply and demand.[3]
Fully collateralised shares
Each Yes/No pair is backed by $1.00 USDC, and winning shares pay $1.00 USDC at resolution.[3]
Exit before resolution
Positions can be sold at the current market price at any time before the outcome is known.[3]
Maker and taker rebates
Taker fees fund a daily Maker Rebates Program, and a tiered Taker Rebate Program returns part of fees.[1]
Pros and cons
Pros
Supported market categories
Politics
Elections, legislation, appointments and other political outcomes.
Sports
Results and season outcomes across professional sports.
Economics
Economic indicators such as inflation, rates and jobs data.
Cryptocurrency
Prices and events related to cryptocurrencies.
Technology
Product launches, company milestones and tech-industry events.
Culture & entertainment
Entertainment, awards and pop-culture outcomes.
Finance
Financial markets, indices and corporate events.
Weather
Temperatures, storms and other weather outcomes.
Geopolitics
International relations and world events.
Mentions
Whether specific words or topics are mentioned at an event.
Category list confirmed from official documentation.[1] Categories listed in Polymarket’s published fee schedule.
Fees
| Charge | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Fee formula | fee = shares × fee rate × p × (1 − p), where p is the share price.[1] | Verified |
| Crypto taker rate | 0.07[1] | Verified |
| Sports, Economics, Culture, Weather, Other | 0.05 taker rate[1] | Verified |
| Finance, Politics, Mentions, Tech | 0.04 taker rate[1] | Verified |
| Geopolitics | No fee[1] | Verified |
| Maker fee | None — only takers pay fees.[1] | Verified |
| Example | 100 Politics shares bought at $0.50 cost $1.00 in fees. Fees peak at a 50¢ price and fall toward 1¢ and 99¢.[1] | Verified |
| Deposits & withdrawals (USDC) | No Polymarket fee. Intermediaries such as Coinbase or MoonPay may charge their own.[1] | Verified |
Geographic availability
United States
Restricted[2]
Close-only on the international platform.
Canada
Partially available[2]
Close-only in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec.
United Kingdom
Restricted[2]
Close-only on the international platform.
International
Partially available[2]
Restricted locations[2]
- OFAC-sanctioned (fully blocked): Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea, and the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine
- Close-only (frontend and API) includes: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada (BC, Ontario, Alberta, Quebec), France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Brazil, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, New Zealand and others
- Close-only on the frontend only: Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, and Malta (sports only)
- What “close-only” means
- Users can close existing positions but cannot open new ones.[2]
- Why restrictions apply
- Polymarket cites sanctions, local financial regulation, gambling and prediction market laws, AML and KYC requirements.[2]
- Separate U.S. venue
- Not yet verifiedA separately operated U.S. offering has been reported; MarketAtlas has not yet verified its status or availability.
Respect regional restrictions
Security and regulation
Regulation
- Jurisdictional compliance
- Polymarket blocks or limits order placement in certain jurisdictions for sanctions and regulatory compliance, including gambling and prediction market laws.[2]
- U.S. regulatory status
- Not yet verifiedNot yet verified by MarketAtlas.
Understand the risks
User experience
From desk research
- Polymarket documents that fees are applied automatically at match time, so users do not add fee information to their orders.
- The fee in dollars is symmetric around a 50¢ price: a trade at 30¢ costs the same fee as a trade at 70¢, and very small trades near the extremes may incur no fee at all.
- Polymarket publishes a geoblock check and states that orders from blocked regions are rejected.
Hands-on testing
Not yet carried out. We will not describe first-hand use of Polymarket until it has actually happened.
Polymarket alternatives
| Polymarket | Kalshi | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Peer-to-peer prediction market | Event contract exchange |
| Fees | Takers pay a category-based fee; makers pay nothing. Geopolitics markets and USDC deposits/withdrawals carry no Polymarket fee. | Transaction fee charged on the expected earnings of a contract; exact rates are set out in Kalshi’s Fee Schedule. |
| Availability | Restricted in a published list of jurisdictions. The United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and four Canadian provinces are close-only on the international platform. | Accessible internationally, with some jurisdictions restricted under Section VI of the Kalshi Member Agreement. |
| Funding | USDC. No Polymarket deposit fee; third-party on-ramps may charge. | Not yet verified |
Our verdict
Polymarket’s fee documentation is transparent and easy to model: makers pay nothing, geopolitics markets are free, and taker rates are published per category.
The biggest consideration is access. Many jurisdictions — including the U.S., UK and several Canadian provinces — are close-only on the international platform, and funding relies on USDC. Confirm both before you sign up; do not attempt to bypass regional restrictions.
May suit you if
- Users in eligible jurisdictions who are comfortable using USDC
- Liquidity providers, since makers are never charged fees
Consider first
- Close-only in many jurisdictions on the international platform
- Third-party on-ramps may charge fees to acquire USDC
No numerical score is shown. Scores will only appear once our scoring methodology is published.
Polymarket FAQs
How are Polymarket fees calculated?
Takers pay fee = shares × fee rate × p × (1 − p), where p is the share price. Rates range from 0 (geopolitics) to 0.07 (crypto). Makers are never charged.
Does Polymarket charge deposit or withdrawal fees?
Polymarket says it charges no fee to deposit or withdraw USDC, though intermediaries such as Coinbase or MoonPay may charge their own fees.
Can I use Polymarket in the United States, UK or Canada?
On Polymarket’s international platform, the U.S. and UK are close-only, as are Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec. Close-only means you can exit existing positions but not open new ones.
Who am I trading against on Polymarket?
Another Polymarket user. Polymarket states it is not “the house”, and prices are set by supply and demand between users.
Sources and methodology
- [1]
Fees — Polymarket Docs
docs.polymarket.com/polymarket-learn/trading/fees (opens in a new tab)Accessed October 9, 2026
- [2]
Geographic Restrictions — Polymarket Docs
docs.polymarket.com/developers/CLOB/geoblock (opens in a new tab)Accessed October 9, 2026
- [3]
What is Polymarket — Polymarket Docs
docs.polymarket.com/polymarket-learn/get-started/what-is-polymarket (opens in a new tab)Accessed October 9, 2026