Circle has entered into a partnership with Polymarket that will replace the prediction‑market platform’s use of bridged USDC (USDC.e) on Polygon with native USDC issued by Circle’s regulated affiliates. The transition is slated to occur over the coming months and will provide Polymarket users with a dollar‑denominated settlement rail that is fully backed by cash and cash‑equivalent assets held in regulated financial institutions.
The move to native USDC is expected to improve capital efficiency, scalability, and institutional alignment for Polymarket. By eliminating the bridge layer, the platform can reduce settlement latency, lower transaction costs, and simplify the audit trail, all of which are critical as trading volume grows. Circle’s CEO Jeremy Allaire noted that “money and capital work at the speed of the internet,” and that the partnership brings that speed and reliability to a new vertical.
For Circle, the deal deepens its role as a core infrastructure provider for on‑chain financial markets. The partnership extends USDC’s reach into the prediction‑market space, reinforcing Circle’s strategy of expanding its stablecoin ecosystem across new verticals. The partnership also positions Circle to capture a larger share of the growing demand for regulated settlement rails in emerging on‑chain products.
Polymarket’s CEO Shayne Coplan highlighted that partnering with Circle is an important step in strengthening prediction markets. The use of native USDC will support a consistent, dollar‑denominated settlement standard that enhances market integrity and reliability as participation grows, addressing both operational and regulatory headwinds that have historically challenged prediction‑market platforms.
USDC remains the second‑largest stablecoin by market capitalization, with a value of approximately $70.77 billion as of February 5 2026. Polymarket is described as the world’s largest prediction‑market platform, and the transition to a regulated settlement asset aligns with broader industry trends toward stablecoins as transparent and efficient settlement rails for internet‑native finance.
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