Robinhood Joins 2024 Presidential Prediction Markets

As a seasoned researcher with a keen interest in financial markets and their evolution, I find Robinhood’s foray into event-based trading, specifically political election outcomes, intriguing. Having delved deep into the world of prediction markets during my academic pursuits, it is fascinating to observe how this concept, once confined to niche communities, is now gaining mainstream traction.


Robinhood Derivatives LLC has introduced a fresh trading opportunity for eligible American clients, enabling them to make predictions about who might secure victory in the 2024 Presidential Election.

On the platform, special contracts have been developed, including ones for Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, where trading starts from October 28. These contract types, viewed by Robinhood as a way to participate directly in real-time events, allow users to trade election results and partake in political decision-making processes.

Instead, they made it clear that transactions on this platform would only involve traditional currencies (fiat), as there won’t be any options for cryptocurrency deposits or funding related to these contracts.

Robinhood’s latest action indicates their growing focus on event-driven trading, a method that is projected to grow in demand by 2024 due to increased public curiosity regarding alternative data sources and real-time social mood gauges.

Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi have significantly dominated their respective sectors, with Polymarket handling more than $2.3 billion in event-based contracts. Notably, Polymarket, which is not accessible to U.S. residents, controls a whopping 99% share within the prediction market arena.

Currently, Kalshi, a secure trading platform situated in Manhattan, is considering broadening its services to accommodate crypto deposits. At present, it operates much like Robinhood, dealing with settlements in traditional (fiat) currency.

As an analyst, I find it intriguing that Robinhood’s foray into this sector mirrors a deep-rooted American curiosity about predicting election results. Betting on presidential outcomes can be traced back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, with newspapers in New York regularly publishing odds during election periods.

Currently, digital platforms such as Polymarket, which utilize blockchain technology, are carrying forward traditional practices into the modern era. However, Robinhood stands apart from these cryptocurrency-centric competitors due to its focus on fiat currency transactions only.

As a researcher, I’ve noticed an extraordinary surge in the demand for event contracts in 2024, as evidenced by a staggering 500% increase in trading volume compared to the previous year, based on data from CoinGecko.

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2024-10-28 21:25