Blockchain.com Seeks CFTC Licenses for US Prediction Markets

| decrypt.co
Blockchain.com has applied to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for two licenses: a designated contract market license to operate an event-contract exchange, and a futures commission merchant license to broker derivatives. If approved, Blockchain.com could offer regulated prediction markets and crypto derivatives to US retail and institutional customers on one platform. The applications are pending, and the company has not yet received approval. The applications would bring services in-house that Blockchain.com currently offers to some international users through Polymarket for prediction markets and Hyperliquid for perpetual futures. CEO Peter Smith said the company wants customers to manage digital assets, trade derivatives and take positions on real-world events in one place. Blockchain.com also announced a planned integration with Polymarket in July. The Blockchain.com applications come amid growing industry interest in federal approval. CNBC reported that the company is among 12 firms to have filed for designated contract market licenses this year, while the CFTC has approved six new licenses in 2026. Federal licensing may help platforms respond to state-level gambling challenges as courts debate whether event contracts fall under federal derivatives rules. The CFTC has also sent the White House proposed rules intended to reinforce its authority over prediction markets. The outcome could shape the US market for prediction markets and crypto derivatives.
Neutral
The news is neutral for the price of any specific cryptocurrency. Blockchain.com has filed for regulatory licenses, but the applications remain pending, and neither summary identifies a direct effect on a particular token’s demand, supply or trading activity. In the short term, the filings may attract attention to prediction markets and crypto derivatives, but any trading response is more likely to affect sentiment toward the sector than the price of an individual cryptocurrency. Over the longer term, approvals and clearer federal rules could support broader regulated access and market participation; delays or adverse court decisions could limit expansion. These outcomes may influence overall industry confidence, but the information provided does not establish a clear directional price catalyst for a named cryptocurrency.