How to use Polymarket in the US: Polymarket US, step by step (2026)
Americans can use Polymarket legally through Polymarket US, a CFTC-regulated exchange that works in dollars. How to sign up, verify, deposit and trade, how it differs from the global site, and why a VPN is a bad idea.
Americans can use Polymarket legally through Polymarket US, a separate exchange regulated by the CFTC that launched in December 2025. It works in US dollars and requires identity verification. The global Polymarket site, the crypto-based one, is still off limits to US residents: for US users it is close-only.
Steps and rules as of October 2026. Polymarket US's own help pages are the final word on eligibility and payment methods.
Polymarket US vs the global site
| Polymarket US | Polymarket (global) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | US residents 18+ | Users outside the US and other restricted places |
| Regulator | CFTC | Not a US-regulated exchange |
| Money | US dollars | USDC stablecoin on Polygon |
| Identity check | Yes | Wallet-based sign-up |
| Markets | A US selection | The full global menu |
| Order book | Its own | Separate |
Prices for the same event can differ between the two because the order books are separate.
How to use Polymarket in the US, step by step
- Check eligibility. You need to be 18 or older and a US resident. Sports contracts in particular can depend on your state; the app tells you what is available where you are. Age rules across apps: how old do you have to be to use Kalshi.
- Download Polymarket US and create an account with your legal name, date of birth and address.
- Verify your identity. Expect a photo ID check. You cannot trade until it clears.
- Deposit dollars with one of the payment methods the app offers. No crypto wallet is needed.
- Find a market. Each market is a question with "Yes" and "No" prices between 1¢ and 99¢; the price is roughly the probability. A primer: how to read prediction market prices.
- Place an order. A market order buys at the best available price; a limit order lets you set the most you will pay and usually costs less: what slippage means.
- Sell or hold. Sell any time before resolution, or hold: a winning share pays $1.
- Withdraw to your bank. Timing and minimums: Kalshi and Polymarket withdrawals.
What you can trade on Polymarket US
Politics, including the 2026 midterms, world events, sports, economics and culture. The global site lists more markets, and some markets are only on one or the other. Our 2026 election hub and live markets page show Polymarket and Kalshi prices side by side.
Fees
Polymarket US runs its own fee schedule, separate from the global site, which charges takers by category and leaves geopolitics and world events free. Compare costs with Kalshi before trading: Polymarket fees vs Kalshi fees.
Can you use the global Polymarket site with a VPN?
You should not. Polymarket's terms forbid using a VPN or similar tools to get around its location rules, and it checks where orders come from. Accounts tied to restricted locations can be limited to closing positions or frozen, which can lock up your funds, and you would have none of the protections of a regulated US exchange. Polymarket's 2022 settlement with the CFTC was over exactly this: US users on an unregistered market. The legal background: is Polymarket legal in the US.
Taxes
US users owe tax on prediction market gains. Polymarket US, as a regulated exchange, has your identity and may issue tax forms; keep your own records either way. Details: Kalshi taxes, which also covers Polymarket.
Polymarket US or Kalshi?
Both are legal, regulated and in dollars. Kalshi lists more markets, especially economics, weather and combos; Polymarket US is strong on politics and world events. Many traders open both and buy wherever the price is better: Kalshi vs Polymarket.
How to use Polymarket in the US: frequently asked questions
Can US citizens use Polymarket?
US residents can use Polymarket US, the CFTC-regulated exchange. The global site is close-only for US users.
Is Polymarket legal in the US now?
Yes, through Polymarket US since December 2025. Sports contracts face the same state disputes as Kalshi's.
Do I need crypto to use Polymarket in the US?
No. Polymarket US works in dollars.
I had a global Polymarket account before. Can I still use it?
From the US, the global site only lets you close positions. New trading happens on Polymarket US.
Is Polymarket US the same as Polymarket?
Same company and brand, different exchange: separate accounts, order books, markets and fees.
