Polymarket is the world's largest prediction market: billions in volume across politics, sports, crypto and culture, running on Polygon with USDC stablecoin balances. Here's the full workflow from funding to withdrawal.
Getting Funded
Sign up with email or wallet, then deposit USDC on Polygon — direct from an exchange (cheapest: withdraw USDC to your Polymarket address on the Polygon network), by bridging from other chains, or by card through onramp partners (higher fees). The interface abstracts most crypto friction; balances display as plain dollars.
Trading the Markets
Each market's Yes/No shares trade on an order book between 0¢ and $1.00. Market orders fill instantly at the best price; limit orders rest until matched — on thinner markets, always use limits, because wide spreads are where casual users quietly lose. Positions can be sold anytime; the graph shows the live probability history. Fees are effectively embedded in spreads rather than charged per trade.
Resolution and Withdrawal
Markets resolve per their stated rules — read them before trading, since edge cases ('by what date', 'per which source') decide disputed markets. Resolution runs through UMA's optimistic oracle: proposed outcomes stand unless disputed and voted. Winning shares redeem at $1.00; withdrawals send USDC back on-chain in minutes. US access: Polymarket returned to the US market under CFTC oversight via its regulated exchange acquisition — check current terms for your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my order not filling?
You've set a limit price away from the market on a thin book. Adjust toward the spread or wait — never cross wide spreads with market orders on illiquid markets.
What happens in a disputed resolution?
UMA token holders vote per the market's written rules. Reading those rules before trading is the single highest-value habit on the platform.
