Kalshi Expands Media Influence as Polymarket Prepares U.S. Comeback

Kalshi is rapidly strengthening its presence in the prediction market industry as major media networks adopt its real-time forecasting data. The platform has widened its lead over Polymarket, even as its competitor prepares a regulated return to the U.S. market.

CNBC recently announced a partnership that will integrate Kalshi’s prediction data across its TV broadcasts and digital platforms starting in 2026. Viewers of flagship programs such as Squawk Box and Fast Money will see event-probability insights displayed on screen, alongside a dedicated on-air ticker and expanded CNBC market pages hosted on Kalshi’s website. CNBC President KC Sullivan emphasized that prediction data is becoming essential for explaining rapidly evolving events, calling it a powerful tool to enhance newsroom reporting.

Just a day before, CNN revealed its own collaboration with Kalshi, naming the company its official prediction market provider. CNN plans to feature Kalshi’s real-time probabilities in televised segments and social media content, guided by chief data analyst Harry Enten. The data will support coverage of elections, economic outlooks, and other high-impact events. These deals come shortly after Kalshi completed a major $1 billion funding round, boosting its valuation to $11 billion.

Kalshi is also expanding into blockchain, launching tokenized versions of its event contracts on Solana, enabling users to trade them through any standard crypto wallet. The platform posted a record $4.54 billion in trading volume in November and surpassed $1 billion in weekly activity. Despite this momentum, Kalshi faces accusations of market manipulation, which its founder has strongly denied.

Polymarket, meanwhile, is gearing up to reenter the U.S. market after receiving CFTC approval. Users on its waitlist will soon gain access to a new American app. The platform logged $3.76 billion in November trading volume and continues to attract institutional attention, with Galaxy Digital exploring liquidity partnerships. Polymarket is also moving toward launching a token after securing approval for an intermediated trading platform and recently partnered with PrizePicks to bring prediction tools to fantasy sports users.