Trading platform Polymarket announced on Tuesday that Donald Trump Jr. joined its advisory board after venture capital firm 1789 Capital, at which Trump Jr. is a partner, made a “strategic investment” in the company.
Key Takeaways
- Polymarket has not operated in the U.S. since 2022.
- The company hopes to re-launch in America following its acquisition of a CFTC-licensed company.
- President Donald Trump nominated a pro-sports contracts chairman to lead the CFTC.
Polymarket is a popular trading platform where users can buy and sell futures contracts.
The company was banned from the U.S. in 2022 for operating unregistered derivatives platforms but is poised to return following its $112-million acquisition of Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-licensed exchange, QCX.
Terms of 1789 Capital's investment were not disclosed, though Axios reports it consisted of at least eight figures.
"This strategic investment marks a significant milestone for Polymarket," said company founder and CEO Shayne Coplan. "Our long-term partnership with 1789 Capital will help reinforce Polymarket’s leading position as a trusted source of free, transparent and accurate market information in the U.S. and around the world."
Excited to welcome @DonaldJTrumpJr's fund @1789Capital as a strategic investor in Polymarket ahead of our US launch.
— Shayne Coplan 🦅 (@shayne_coplan) August 26, 2025
Don will also be joining our advisory board.
Assembling the avengers. We're coming home 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/w6MdZuoCXv
Trump Jr., who joined trading platform Kalshi as an adviser earlier this year, said Polymarket allows users to provide unfiltered, uninterrupted opinion on different events. That includes politics, cryptocurrency price movements, sports events, and more.
"Polymarket is the largest prediction market in the world, and the U.S. needs access to this important platform," Trump Jr. said. "Polymarket cuts through media spin and so-called 'expert' opinion by letting people bet on what they actually believe will happen in the world. I am pleased that 1789 Capital is investing in Polymarket and am honored to join the company’s advisory board."
Coming back with a vengeance
Despite not being licensed to operate in the U.S., Polymarket has experienced extreme activity.
The company’s announcement confirmed it handled about $6 billion in predictions during the first half of 2025.
It also reached a partnership with X (formerly Twitter) to become the platform’s official prediction market partner, giving it a strong marketing platform.
“1789 Capital looks to invest in companies that are entrepreneurial, innovative, and demonstrate great potential for growth,” said 1789 Capital founder Omeed Malik. “Polymarket meets each of these criteria. Polymarket stands at the intersection of free expression and financial innovation by empowering individuals with real-time truth in a world clouded by noise, and we are proud to support its vision.”
The dilemma that is sports contracts
Prediction platforms have flooded headlines recently for the controversial division of state and federal regulators over the legality of sports contracts.
State officials argue prediction markets are effectively unlicensed sports betting odds, while the platforms argue they are in compliance with the CFTC’s regulations and therefore not guilty of wrongdoing.
President Trump and many Republicans have expressed openness to the expansion of event contracts. Trump also nominated former CFTC commissioner Brian Quintenz, who supports sports contracts, to be the Commission’s next chairman.
Prediction platforms seemed to be winning the legal battle over sports contracts until earlier this month, when a Maryland federal district judge sided with the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission, which opined that sports contracts should be illegal.
The ruling resulted in the upholding of a cease-and-desist order that had been sent to Kalshi.
