Prediction markets let users buy shares in yes or no outcomes—like “will Bitcoin hit $100K by month end?”—with prices reflecting crowd wisdom, settling automatically when events resolve.
Surge in Short Bets
Last week’s fee explosion signals mainstream appeal, especially Polymarket’s 15-minute markets where bettors wager if assets like BTC or SOL rise or fall in ultra-short windows, now charging small taker fees up to 3% to boost liquidity. These micro-bets mimic high-frequency trading but accessible to anyone with USDC, generating $787k as volumes hit billions weekly per Dune Analytics.
Opinion bets dominated at $1.5 million fees, covering subjective calls on news or trends, where diverse views create tight pricing and high activity. A real-world example: during the 2024 election, Polymarket users correctly priced Trump’s win odds at 60% weeks ahead of polls, earning savvy traders tidy profits.
Prediction markets captured over $2.7 million in fees in the past week, hitting an all-time high. Opinion dominated with 54.3% of the fee market share, raking in more than $1.5 million in fees. Meanwhile, Polymarket’s 15-minute up/down markets generated $787k in fees that week,… pic.twitter.com/97q1qletTR
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 20, 2026
This boom rides crypto’s prediction market renaissance, with sector volume topping $3.7 billion weekly amid events like ETF approvals and rate cuts. Platforms like Polymarket now compete with regulated spots like Kalshi, blending blockchain speed with real-money stakes. Credible data from Dune shows fees up 300% year-over-year, as taker fees on short markets fund maker rebates, tightening spreads and drawing pros.
More About Prediction Markets
Last week, prediction market platforms exploded with nearly $6 billion in total trading volume, highlighting the sector’s unstoppable momentum as users bet on real-world outcomes from elections to sports. Kalshi led the pack at $2.15 billion, its regulated setup drawing institutional players who favor compliant venues for big wagers. OpinionLabs followed closely with $1.94 billion, capitalizing on niche opinion polls that blend social sentiment with financial stakes, while Polymarket secured third place at $1.76 billion through its blockchain-powered markets on Polygon, known for sharp pricing on crypto and politics.
Last week, volume across prediction market platforms reached almost $6B!
Here are the top platforms by notional volume:
1. @Kalshi – $2.15B
2. @opinionlabsxyz – $1.94B
3. @Polymarket – $1.76B
4. @predictdotfun – $113.6M
5. @trylimitless – $19.0M
6. @ForecastEx – $5.5M
7.… pic.twitter.com/WLOBLoZwYo— Chance (@Chance_) January 20, 2026
Smaller contenders like Predict.fun ($113.6 million), Limitless ($19 million), ForecastEx ($5.5 million), and Myriad Markets ($2.35 million) rounded out the top seven, each carving niches in fun, micro-bets or specialized events. This volume surge reflects how prediction markets now serve as live information processors, where crowd bets often outperform traditional polls, offering investors a way to hedge risks or speculate with low entry barriers using stablecoins like USDC.
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