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Blockchain.com seeks US licences for prediction markets | The Paypers
NewsCrypto, Web3 and CBDC
Blockchain.com applies for US futures exchange and broker licences
Blockchain.com, a digital asset platform, has filed two applications with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the federal regulator for futures and derivatives in the US. Through these filings, the company is seeking approval to offer event contracts and cryptocurrency derivatives to retail and institutional customers in the country. It is applying for a designated contract market (DCM) licence, which would allow it to operate as a futures exchange, and for registration as a futures commission merchant (FCM), the category that covers brokers for derivatives contracts. Securing both would allow Blockchain.com to act as both a regulated exchange and a derivatives broker in the US market.
Licence filings build on international products and IPO plans
Blockchain.com already offers both product types to some of its customers outside the US. In 2026, the company began offering prediction markets through a partnership with Polymarket and introduced perpetual futures powered by Hyperliquid for selected international users. Its stated aim is to let users manage digital assets, trade derivatives, and take positions on real-world events within a single app, rather than moving between separate platforms. The company presents its DCM and FCM applications as the step needed to bring this model to the US within the relevant regulatory frameworks.
The applications also coincide with Blockchain.com’s preparations for a public listing. In May 2026, the company confidentially submitted a draft registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering. The company is reportedly planning to go public before the end of the year, at a valuation of USD 4–6 billion. If approved, the licences would extend Blockchain.com’s US product range into regulated derivatives and event contracts, bringing it closer to the offering the company already provides internationally.
Crypto platforms and prediction markets move closer together
The filings reflect a wider convergence between crypto trading platforms and prediction markets. Digital asset exchanges Crypto.com and Gemini operate their own event contract marketplaces, while Coinbase offers event contracts primarily through a partnership with Kalshi. Activity is also moving in the opposite direction. Kalshi has launched perpetual futures for US customers, and Polymarket has launched them for international customers, bringing one of crypto’s most popular trading products onto prediction market platforms.
Competition for regulatory approval is increasing as well. Blockchain.com joins 11 other companies that have applied for DCM licences in 2026, while the CFTC has approved six new DCMs over the same period. For crypto-native platforms, a federal licence provides a regulated route to offering event contracts and derivatives to US users. Several established exchanges already operate in this market, which means Blockchain.com would be entering a space with existing competition if its applications are approved.
Keywords:digital assetscrypto derivativesevent contractslicensing
Countries:United States of America
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