Coinbase prediction markets let US customers trade event contracts on politics, sports, culture and economics inside the Coinbase app, next to their crypto and other holdings. The markets come from Kalshi, and Coinbase acts as the broker through its CFTC-regulated futures arm. This profile covers how it works, eligibility, fees and how it compares, from Coinbase’s help centre and reputable reporting, checked October 2026.
How it works
- Broker and exchange. Coinbase Financial Markets, Coinbase’s CFTC-regulated futures business, offers the product; Kalshi operates the markets.
- Money. Trade in US dollars or USDC, from a $1 minimum, with positions shown alongside your other assets.
- Markets. Politics, sports, entertainment, culture and economics, from Kalshi’s listings.
Eligibility
You need to be a US resident and apply separately for prediction markets within Coinbase. The application includes photo ID verification, your Social Security or tax ID number, an age check and a suitability assessment. Availability can vary by state: in Nevada, a state court preliminary injunction granted on March 26, 2026 bars Coinbase from offering sports, election and entertainment event contracts while the case continues.
Fees
Each trade carries a fee covering both the exchange and Coinbase as broker. Fees vary by market and are shown in the trade preview before you confirm. Trading on Kalshi directly avoids the broker portion; see Kalshi fees.
Legal fights
- December 2025: Coinbase sued Michigan, Illinois and Connecticut over their attempts to regulate prediction markets.
- 2026: a Nevada state court granted the state a preliminary injunction against Coinbase’s sports, election and entertainment contracts on March 26, and New York sued Coinbase and Gemini over their offerings in April.
See Is Kalshi legal? for the wider fight over sports event contracts.
Coinbase vs Kalshi direct
| Coinbase | Kalshi | |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Your Coinbase account plus a prediction-markets application | A Kalshi account |
| Funding | USD or USDC already in Coinbase | Bank, card, wire, PayPal, Venmo, crypto |
| Cost | Exchange fee plus broker fee | Kalshi’s fee only |
| Range | Kalshi’s markets, as offered in Coinbase | Kalshi’s full list, combos and API |
What’s trading on Kalshi now
Kalshi: most traded
Latest price for “Yes”, shown as an implied chance. Polymarket volume in USD, Kalshi in contracts. Updated 3 min ago.
FAQ
Does Coinbase have prediction markets?
Can I use USDC on Coinbase prediction markets?
Sources for the legal events above, checked October 28, 2026:
- Covers: Nevada court grants preliminary injunction against Coinbase (Mar 28, 2026)
- New York Attorney General: lawsuit against Coinbase and Gemini (Apr 21, 2026)
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