CumberlandMarkets ranged from the simple question of who would win the tournament to whether Cristiano Ronaldo would cry when Portugal were eliminated (he did).
World Cup bets smash records as prediction markets hit $20 billion in volume
Markets ranged from the simple question of who would win the tournament to whether Cristiano Ronaldo would cry when Portugal were eliminated (he did).
The 2026 FIFA World Cup saw $20 billion in prediction market volume, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis said on Thursday. The figure encompassed activity across nearly 400,000 wallets starting in January 2026. The soccer tournament represented by far the biggest prediction market event in terms of volume, shattering the $3.6 billion placed during the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup generated a record $20 billion in prediction market volume, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.
The figure encompasses activity across nearly 400,000 wallets starting in January 2026 with $5.7 billion in volume generated during the tournament itself, Chainalysis said in a Thursday report.
Markets ranged from the simple question of who would win the international soccer tournament to whether Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo would cry when his team was eliminated (he did).
The World Cup, held in June and July, represented by far the biggest prediction market event in terms of volume, shattering the $3.6 billion traded during the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. Other notable events were Super Bowl 60 in February and the NCAA’s basketball tournament known as March Madness, both of which eclipsed the $1 billion mark.
Prediction markets offer derivatives contracts on the outcome of future events, and settle when the relevant event takes place.
Market leader Polymarket runs on blockchain rails with trades and settlement in stablecoin USDC. As a result, the platforms have become one of the ways in which blockchain technology has gained significant mainstream attention.
Polymarket was valued at $15 billion during funding discussions in April while main rival Kalshi is reported to be targeting a $40 billion valuation in its latest investment talks.
Read more: New York sues Kalshi, alleges it offers a gambling platform 'plain and simple'
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Anvil: The Missing Collateral Layer
Anvil: The Missing Collateral Layer
Anvil is a shared on-chain collateral layer built on a programmable letter of credit: reserve assets as a guarantee -no loan, no interest, keep custody & yield.
Anvil is a shared on-chain collateral layer built on a programmable letter of credit: reserve assets as a guarantee -no loan, no interest, keep custody & yield.
Why it matters:
Anvil is a shared on-chain collateral layer built on a programmable letter of credit: reserve assets as a guarantee -no loan, no interest, keep custody & yield.
Bitcoin, ether fall, equities rally with broader crypto market on track for best month in a year
Bitcoin’s calm is back and so is the setup for a volatility explosion
Live updates: Bitcoin slides back below $64,000 as Nasdaq continues rally