As the FIFA World Cup heads into its final stretch, prediction market giant Polymarket has announced a major partnership with cryptocurrency platform Blockchain.com, bringing real-world event trading directly to millions of crypto users around the globe.
The partnership, unveiled Tuesday, allows eligible Blockchain.com users to access Polymarket’s prediction markets without leaving the Blockchain.com app. The integration launches just as the World Cup semifinals capture global attention, a period that has become one of the busiest trading windows in prediction market history. (PR Newswire)
Betting on Real-World Events
Rather than traditional sports betting, Polymarket operates as a prediction market where users trade contracts based on the probability of real-world outcomes. Markets range from sports and politics to financial events and entertainment.
With the World Cup entering its decisive rounds, soccer-related markets have generated billions of dollars in trading volume, making football the platform’s fastest-growing category in 2026. (PR Newswire)
Blockchain.com CEO Peter Smith said the partnership is designed to make prediction markets more accessible by allowing customers to use digital assets they already hold in their crypto wallets.
The feature will initially be available in eligible international markets, including much of the European Union. It will not launch in the United States at this time because of differing regulatory requirements. (Bloomberg Law)
A Growing Mainstream Audience
The announcement comes as prediction markets continue gaining traction beyond crypto enthusiasts.
Recent industry research suggests nearly 60% of users who traded World Cup markets on Polymarket were interacting with blockchain technology for the first time. Instead of entering crypto through token investing, many newcomers are discovering digital assets through prediction markets tied to major sporting events. (Cointelegraph)
That trend has helped position Polymarket as one of the largest prediction market platforms globally, with activity surging throughout the World Cup.
Competition Is Heating Up
The partnership also arrives during an increasingly competitive period for prediction market companies.
FIFA selected ADI Predictstreet—not Polymarket—as its official prediction market partner for the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, Kraken recently became FIFA’s Official Crypto Exchange Supporter, expanding crypto’s presence throughout the tournament. (Yahoo Sports)
Despite not securing FIFA’s official prediction market designation, Polymarket has continued expanding through commercial partnerships. Earlier this summer, the company announced sponsorship agreements with Liga MX in the United States and continues to invest heavily in sports-focused products and marketing. (Genius Sports)
Looking Ahead
With only a handful of World Cup matches remaining, the timing gives Blockchain.com users immediate access to one of the year’s biggest global sporting events while introducing millions of crypto users to prediction markets.
As sports, finance and blockchain continue to converge, partnerships like this suggest prediction markets are becoming an increasingly important part of the digital asset ecosystem—not just for experienced traders, but also for mainstream sports fans looking for a new way to engage with the world’s biggest events.
