Prediction Markets · Platforms

Polymarket Signup Guide: Account Opening, Fees & Current Offer

By Odds Reference Last Updated: July 15, 2026 Editorial Policy

Current Polymarket Signup Offer

Polymarket's own referral program

Polymarket does not run a flat signup bonus — its official referral program pays an existing trader 10% of a direct referral's net trading fees for the first 30 days after that referral signs up, through the referred trader's Gold tier. Becoming eligible to refer requires at least $10,000 in lifetime trading volume on your own account, so this is not a new-user welcome bonus.

Verified directly on Polymarket's official site/help center as of July 15, 2026. This is Polymarket's own public offer, not an OddsReference promo code — we do not have one (see below).

Go to Polymarket

Advertising disclosure: This page may contain links to third-party platforms. Where OddsReference has an active, disclosed partnership with a platform, we may earn a commission if you click a link and complete a qualifying action — at no extra cost to you. Affiliate status has no bearing on our data, rankings, or editorial conclusions. See our Affiliate Disclosure and Editorial Policy for details.

01 — SIGNUP

How to Open a Polymarket Account

1

Create an account

Sign up at polymarket.com or in the app with an email address, or connect a crypto wallet directly.
2

Choose your funding path

The global platform is funded with USDC on Polygon (via a crypto exchange like Coinbase, a card purchase through a processor such as MoonPay at a surcharge, or an existing wallet). The newer CFTC-regulated Polymarket US exchange (via its QCX acquisition) supports direct USD ACH transfer instead, but was still onboarding users by invite/waitlist as of our last check — confirm current availability on Polymarket directly.
3

Complete identity verification

KYC is required to trade, with requirements varying by which product (global platform vs. Polymarket US) you are using.
4

Fund your account

Deposit USDC (near-instant aside from blockchain gas fees) or, where available, USD via ACH on Polymarket US.
5

Place your first trade

Browse markets by category, review the current price (the market-implied probability), and place a limit (maker, typically free) or market (taker) order.

Steps describe Polymarket's standard account-opening flow as publicly documented. Exact screens may change as Polymarket updates its product — always follow the current on-screen instructions.

02 — EDITOR'S SCORE

OddsReference Editor's Score

Our editorial rating across 7 weighted criteria — distinct from the site's data-driven OR Score.

7.7 / 10

Polymarket Editor's Score Good

OddsReference editorial rating v1.0.0 · 7 weighted criteria

Fees · 20% weight 7/10

The new CFTC-regulated Polymarket US exchange charges a flat 0.30% taker fee with a 0.20% maker rebate — competitive. The original global platform charges category-specific taker fees (roughly 0.75%-1.8% depending on category) with free limit orders; which one applies depends on which product you actually use.

Market Breadth · 15% weight 9.5/10

The broadest catalog of any major venue — politics, sports, crypto, entertainment, geopolitics, and more, across both the global platform and the newer regulated US exchange.

Liquidity · 15% weight 9.5/10

Historically the highest-volume prediction-market venue globally, with the deepest books on flagship political and sports markets.

Mobile & UX · 10% weight 7.5/10

Polished charting and market discovery; the crypto-wallet layer (for the global platform) adds a step most sportsbook-style apps do not require.

Funding Options · 15% weight 6.5/10

The global platform is USDC/crypto-funded (Polygon), with card funding via a third-party processor at a 2-3% surcharge. Polymarket US (the CFTC-regulated exchange launched via its QCX acquisition) supports direct USD ACH transfers with no crypto required, but was still onboarding users by invite/waitlist as of our last check — confirm current availability on Polymarket directly.

Payout Speed · 10% weight 7.5/10

Crypto withdrawals on the global platform are near-instant aside from network gas fees; ACH withdrawal timing on the newer regulated US exchange was not yet independently confirmed at publication.

Support & Trust · 15% weight 6.5/10

The new Polymarket US entity is a CFTC-regulated Designated Contract Market — a real regulatory upgrade — but it is new, still rolling out access, and the platform overall faces more active state-level legal challenges and geo-blocking uncertainty than Kalshi's longer-established US footprint.

This is OddsReference's qualitative editorial rating, built from published facts and our own platform review — not a live data feed, and not the same thing as our data-driven OR Score. OddsReference has no affiliate partnership with Polymarket (see our Affiliate Disclosure); a commercial relationship, if one existed, would carry zero weight in this score.

03 — VERDICT

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

The broadest market catalog of any major prediction-market venue — politics, sports, crypto, entertainment, geopolitics, and more.
Historically the deepest liquidity globally, with the tightest spreads on flagship political and sports markets.
A new CFTC-regulated "Polymarket US" exchange (via the QCX acquisition, approved by the CFTC in November 2025) offers a genuine federal-regulation upgrade with direct USD ACH funding — no crypto required, where available.
Limit (maker) orders are free on both the global platform and the regulated US exchange.
A documented, transparent referral program (10% of a direct referral's net trading fees for 30 days after signup) rather than an opaque bonus structure.

Limitations

The global platform is USDC/crypto-funded — a real onboarding step for traders unfamiliar with wallets, exchanges, or gas fees, and card funding via a processor carries a 2-3% surcharge.
Polymarket US, the CFTC-regulated USD-funded exchange, was still rolling out access by invite/waitlist as of our last check — it is not yet a guaranteed same-day signup for every US resident.
Global-platform taker fees vary by category (roughly 0.75%-1.8% depending on category as of March 2026), a less predictable structure than a flat per-contract fee.
To become a referrer and earn on the affiliate-style referral program, an account needs $10,000 in lifetime trading volume — not accessible to brand-new users.
State-level legal disputes and geo-blocking uncertainty are at least as active for Polymarket as for Kalshi, and Minnesota's felony ban (effective August 1, 2026) applies to Polymarket as well.

Polymarket's strengths and limitations above reflect OddsReference's independent editorial assessment, not a vendor-supplied list.

04 — FEES

What Does Polymarket Charge?

Two fee structures apply depending on which Polymarket product you use — see the note below the table.

Fee Type	Amount
Polymarket US (regulated exchange) — taker fee	0.30% flat Applies to the newer CFTC-regulated, USD-funded exchange operated via the QCX acquisition.
Polymarket US — maker rebate	0.20% rebate Limit orders that add liquidity are rebated rather than charged.
Global platform — taker fee by category	~0.75% - 1.8% As of March 2026: Sports ~0.75%, Politics/Tech ~1.0%, Finance ~1.0%, Culture/Weather ~1.25%, Economics ~1.5%, Crypto ~1.8%. Geopolitics markets were fee-free. Category fee tables change — verify current rates on Polymarket directly.
Global platform — maker (limit) orders	Free
USDC deposit	No platform fee Blockchain gas fee applies (typically well under $1 on Polygon); card funding via a third-party processor carries a 2-3% surcharge.
USDC withdrawal	No platform fee Polygon network fee under $0.01; bridging to Ethereum can cost $1-$20+ depending on congestion.
Polymarket US ACH deposit/withdrawal	Reported fee-free for ACH Wire transfer reported to carry a fee (roughly $15-$25) with same-day clearing; ACH takes 1-3 business days. Confirm current terms directly, as this is a newly launched product.

Polymarket fee schedule as of mid-2026 (global category fees as of March 2026; Polymarket US flat-fee structure as launched). Platforms change fee schedules without much notice — verify current rates on Polymarket's fee documentation before trading.

Run your own numbers with our Fee Calculator, or see the full mechanics in our Polymarket platform profile.

05 — ELIGIBILITY

Where Can You Trade Polymarket?

Availability & Eligibility

Polymarket is accessible in the large majority of US states — over 40 by most current counts — operating under the CFTC's federal designation for its regulated Polymarket US product, alongside the original global platform.

Active cease-and-desist actions or state-level legal disputes have been reported in:

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Minnesota — Read Before Trading

Minnesota's SF4760, signed May 18, 2026 and scheduled to take effect August 1, 2026, makes it a felony (up to 5 years, $10,000 fine) to operate, host, or advertise a prediction-market platform in the state, reportedly extending to payment processors and advertisers. It is written broadly enough to cover prediction-market platforms generally, not one company by name, so it applies to Polymarket the same as Kalshi. The CFTC and Kalshi sued the day after it was signed to block it; a federal judge heard arguments on that injunction request July 2, 2026 and had not ruled as of publication, so the felony ban is still on track to take effect unless the court intervenes first. Do not assume this deadline has been pushed back without checking directly.

Polymarket's legal position layers two separate questions: the federal-vs-state dispute over sports contracts that is playing out in real time across circuits (a Third Circuit panel sided with the federal-preemption argument in April 2026; a Southern District of New York judge rejected a similar argument against Kalshi in July 2026 — a precedent likely to be cited against Polymarket too), plus Polymarket's own newer transition from an offshore global platform to a CFTC-regulated US entity, which is still being tested.

Polymarket's CFTC/federal regulatory status and individual state gambling-law enforcement are two separate legal questions that are currently in active, unresolved litigation in multiple courts. Federal registration is not the same thing as settled legality in every state. This page is not legal advice — confirm your own state's current rules, which can change quickly, before trading. See Polymarket's own help center for the most current state list.

Check your state on the full prediction markets legal tracker →

Polymarket FAQ

Does OddsReference have a Polymarket promo code?

No. OddsReference has no affiliate partnership with Polymarket and does not have or distribute a Polymarket promo code or bonus amount. Polymarket's own official referral program pays a referrer 10% of a direct referral's net trading fees for 30 days after that referral signs up, and requires the referrer's account to have at least $10,000 in lifetime trading volume to qualify — it is not a flat signup bonus. Third-party sites advertising a specific dollar-amount Polymarket bonus code are running their own arrangements, not ones OddsReference is party to.

Is Polymarket US the same as Polymarket?

They are related but distinct. The original global Polymarket platform is crypto/USDC-funded and has operated largely offshore of US regulation. In July 2025, Polymarket acquired QCX (a CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange and clearinghouse) for roughly $112 million; the CFTC approved an amended order of designation in November 2025 letting the resulting "Polymarket US" entity operate as a regulated exchange, which launched in December 2025 with direct USD funding. As of our last check, Polymarket US access was still expanding by invite/waitlist rather than open to every US resident immediately — check current availability directly on Polymarket.

What states restrict Polymarket?

Polymarket is broadly accessible in most US states, with active cease-and-desist actions or legal disputes reported in Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, and Ohio as of mid-2026. Minnesota's SF4760 goes further, making it a felony to operate or advertise a prediction-market platform in the state starting August 1, 2026. This picture is changing quickly — verify your state directly with Polymarket before funding an account.

How much does it cost to trade on Polymarket?

It depends which Polymarket product you use. The newer CFTC-regulated Polymarket US exchange charges a flat 0.30% taker fee with a 0.20% maker rebate. The original global platform charges taker fees that vary by market category (roughly 0.75% for sports up to about 1.8% for crypto, as of March 2026), with limit (maker) orders free on both. Crypto/USDC funding on the global platform carries no Polymarket fee beyond blockchain gas costs; card funding through a third-party processor carries a 2-3% surcharge.

Do I need cryptocurrency to use Polymarket?

On the original global platform, yes — it is funded in USDC on the Polygon network, though a third-party processor lets you buy in with a debit card (at a 2-3% surcharge) without managing crypto directly yourself. The newer, CFTC-regulated Polymarket US exchange supports direct USD ACH bank transfers with no crypto step, but was still onboarding users by invite/waitlist as of our last check.

06 — RELATED