Who founded Polymarket, and who owns it? Polymarket was founded in 2020 by Shayne Coplan, who dropped out of New York University and remains its chief executive. In six years it went from a small crypto project to the world’s biggest prediction market by volume, through a CFTC fine, an FBI raid, closed investigations, an investment from the owner of the New York Stock Exchange and a return to the US market. This page covers the founder and key milestones, from regulatory records and reputable reporting, checked October 2026.
Key milestones
| When | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Shayne Coplan founds Polymarket |
| January 2022 | Polymarket pays a $1.4 million penalty to the CFTC for offering unregistered event contracts and blocks US users |
| November 2024 | FBI agents search Coplan’s apartment and seize devices |
| July 2025 | The Justice Department and CFTC close their investigations without charges |
| July 2025 | Polymarket buys QCEX, a CFTC-licensed exchange and clearing house |
| October 2025 | ICE, owner of the NYSE, agrees to invest up to $2 billion |
| December 2025 | The Polymarket US app opens to waitlisted users |
| September 2026 | Raises $1 billion at a $21 billion valuation |
After the ICE deal, Bloomberg described Coplan as the youngest self-made billionaire. Funding details: Polymarket valuation and IPO.
Who owns Polymarket?
Polymarket is a private company. Coplan is its founder and a key shareholder, and its investors include ICE and, since its 2026 round, 1789 Capital. It isn’t publicly traded.
FAQ
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