Polymarket debuts prediction markets tied to private companies

Reuters

Tue, May 19, 2026 at 9:44 AM EDT 1 min read

May 19 (Reuters) - Polymarket on Tuesday launched prediction markets tied to the performance of ‌private companies through an agreement with Nasdaq ‌Private Market, marking a first for the rapidly growing sector, ​it said.

Here are some details:

• Prediction markets allow users to trade on the outcome of future events, with prices reflecting the perceived probability of ‌those outcomes.

• Polymarket ⁠said the new events could include private company milestones such as valuation, IPO ⁠timings and secondary market activity.

• Prediction markets have grown popular as users increasingly trade on the ​outcomes of ​events ranging from elections ​to cryptocurrencies.

• Polymarket's new ‌offering also creates an additional price discovery tool for institutional investors, the company said.

• It added that the Nasdaq Private Market will serve as the resolution data provider for private company ‌markets on Polymarket.

• The launch ​comes as companies stay private ​for longer. Several ​startups have reached valuations comparable to ‌companies in the S&P 500, ​drawing growing ​investor interest in private markets.

• Polymarket said nearly 1,600 unicorns globally, or startups valued at ​more than $1 ‌billion, now account for over $5 trillion in ​cumulative value.

(Reporting by Manya Saini in Bengaluru; ​Editing by Devika Syamnath)