Platforms & regulators

Trading volumes on Kalshi and Polymarket raise questions amid their rapid growth

Unusual trading patterns on prediction platforms Kalshi and Polymarket have drawn scrutiny, with experts debating whether reported volumes reflect genuine trader activity.

The questions come amid explosive growth of these platforms, where traders bet on the outcome of real-world events, from elections to sports matches.

For beginners Trading volume is one of the main indicators of how liquid and reliable a market is; if some of that volume is artificial, traders may misjudge real interest in the market and the risks of entering or exiting positions.