Prediction Markets: A Decade of Refinement, Who's Next?
The evolution of the crypto prediction market is a compelling case study, having taken nearly a decade to achieve product-market fit (PMF) after being prematurely dismissed. Early projects like Gnosis (2015) and Augur (2018) struggled with high Ethereum gas fees, poor user experience, regulatory pressure (e.g., CFTC classifying them as gambling), and immature oracles, leading to low liquidity and trading volumes.
The turning point came in 2024, catalyzed by the U.S. presidential election. Polymarket’s trading volume surged, with monthly activity exploding from $62 million to $2.1 billion. By 2025, the sector’s annual trading volume reached $27.9 billion.
Key drivers for this breakthrough include: 1) Improved infrastructure (Layer 2 solutions like Polygon and Base drastically reduced fees and sped up transactions); 2) Regulatory shifts (CFTC approval of platforms like Kalshi and clearer crypto-friendly policies); 3) A new market narrative focused on utility over speculation, amplified by media coverage; and 4) Broader event categories beyond politics.
This demonstrates that some "disproven" crypto sectors may not lack PMF but were simply ahead of their time, awaiting better infrastructure and market conditions. This pattern suggests potential future revivals in other early-stage areas like crypto gaming, social, or DePIN.
marsbit2 дня назад 08:31
