How to Use Polymarket in the US (Legally) in 2026
Polymarket is back in the US. After three years of being inaccessible to US-based traders following its 2022 CFTC settlement, the platform returned to US users in July 2025 by acquiring QCEX, a CFTC-licensed Designated Contract Market.
This guide walks through exactly how to use Polymarket as a US resident in 2026 — legally, without VPN tricks, and with proper tax treatment.
The legal setup, briefly
You are not using "the same" Polymarket that operates internationally. US users access Polymarket US — a separate, CFTC-regulated platform that runs on QCEX infrastructure and offers a curated subset of the global Polymarket market menu.
What this means in practice:
- All trading happens in USD on a CFTC-regulated exchange
- Customer funds are held in segregated accounts at FDIC-insured banks
- US contracts settle in dollars, not USDC
- Tax reporting is standard 1099-B (capital gains/losses)
- The market menu is smaller than the global Polymarket (no contracts on US elections, no contracts the CFTC has restricted)
If you previously used Polymarket via a VPN before 2025, stop doing that. The legitimate US version covers most of what you would want and is fully compliant.
Step 1: Sign up
Go to us.polymarket.com or download the Polymarket US app (iOS and Android, listed as "Polymarket US" — distinct from the legacy global app). The international polymarket.com still exists but US users should not register there.
Account creation requires:
- US phone number
- Government ID (driver's license or passport)
- SSN (for tax reporting)
- US bank account or debit card
KYC verification typically takes 5-10 minutes. If your address is in a state with active sports-contract litigation (currently MA, NV, NJ), you will see a notice that some sports contracts are unavailable in your state. Political, macro, climate, and entertainment contracts are available everywhere.
Step 2: Fund your account
Three methods:
| Method | Speed | Fee | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACH bank transfer | 1-3 business days | None | $1 min, $25,000/day |
| Debit card | Instant | 1.5% | $1 min, $5,000/day |
| Crypto (USDC) | 5-10 minutes | Network gas only | $10 min |
USDC funding is optional but available — useful if you already hold USDC and don't want to bridge to USD. Polymarket US converts the USDC to USD on-platform; trading and settlement are in USD only.
There is no welcome bonus, deposit match, or referral credit on Polymarket US (unlike the global version, which has historically offered crypto airdrops). The CFTC compliance scope does not allow promotional inducements.
Step 3: Place a trade
The interface is essentially the same as global Polymarket. Each market is binary: you buy YES or NO at the current price.
Quick example: You want to bet that the Fed cuts rates in June 2026.
- Search "Fed June 2026" — find the market "Will the Fed cut rates at the June 2026 FOMC meeting?"
- Current YES price: 62¢ (implied probability 62%)
- You buy 100 YES contracts at 62¢ each = $62 cost
- If the Fed cuts: each contract pays $1, total $100, profit $38
- If the Fed holds or hikes: each contract pays $0, total loss $62
You can exit before resolution by selling at the current market price.
Step 4: Withdraw
Settings → Banking → Withdraw. Select your linked bank or debit card.
- ACH withdrawal: 1-2 business days, no fee
- Debit card withdrawal: instant, 1.5% fee
- Crypto withdrawal (USDC): 10-15 minutes, network gas only
You can only withdraw your free (non-margin) balance. Funds in open positions need to be closed first. Read our full Polymarket review for the full deposit/withdrawal experience and any current restrictions.
What contracts are actually available?
Polymarket US carries roughly 60% of the global Polymarket market menu:
Available: Politics (non-US elections), macro/Fed, sports (with state geofencing), crypto, climate/weather, entertainment, science/tech, geopolitics.
Not available in the US version: US presidential and congressional election contracts (CFTC ruling pending), contracts on the legality of specific actions (e.g. "Will Trump be indicted by X date?"), some heavily speculative contracts.
The US election contract restriction is the biggest gap. The CFTC and Polymarket are in active negotiation about reinstating these for the 2028 cycle. Until then, Kalshi is the only legal US venue for election contracts.
Common questions
- Can I use my old Polymarket wallet? No. Polymarket US requires a fresh KYC'd account. Your global Polymarket positions and balance are not accessible from the US version.
- What if I move states? Update your address in Settings. If you move into a state with sports geofencing, those positions will go to "close-only" mode — you can sell out but not open new positions.
- Is it taxed differently than Kalshi? No. Both are CFTC-regulated; both report on 1099-B. See our guide on how prediction markets are taxed.
- Can I use a VPN to access global Polymarket? Technically yes, legally no — and the platform actively bans accounts identified as US-based on the global version. You also lose CFTC fund-segregation protection. Don't.
Polymarket US vs Kalshi: which should you use?
For most US traders, Kalshi is still the deeper, more reliable platform. Polymarket US is worth using for:
- Markets Kalshi does not offer (especially geopolitics, science, and international politics)
- Slightly different pricing on the same contract (often 1-3 points apart — see our Kalshi vs Polymarket comparison)
- USDC funding if you are crypto-native
Most active traders use both, posting to whichever has better pricing on a given contract. The two together cover roughly 90% of the available US event-contract menu.
For broader context, see Kalshi vs Polymarket 2026 and our full Polymarket review.
