Polymarket's Offshore Structure and U.S. Legal Status Clarified
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Polymarket, a crypto prediction market valued at $15 billion, operates from a Panama City law office shared with numerous other crypto firms. While the Justice Department has dropped its investigation into the company, its website remains technically banned in the U.S. under a 2022 settlement, though a separate version has been approved to re-enter the market.
Facts First
- Polymarket is headquartered in Panama at a law office shared with at least 15 other crypto companies.
- The Justice Department dropped its investigation into Polymarket after FBI agents raided the CEO's apartment.
- Polymarket paid a $1.4 million fine and shuttered its U.S. business under a 2022 settlement.
- A separate version of Polymarket has been approved to re-enter the U.S. market.
- Billions are traded weekly on its overseas exchange, with volume growing significantly.
What Happened
Polymarket, a cryptocurrency prediction market estimated to be worth $15 billion, claims its headquarters is located in Panama City, but an NPR visit to the listed law office revealed no sign of Polymarket. The office, run by attorney Mario García de Paredes, contains a corporate lobby and approximately a dozen unoccupied computer stations. At least 15 other cryptocurrency companies use the same Panama City law office as a headquarters, including Helix, Drift Protocol, Goldfinch, and Parti. Court filings show the law office also performed work for the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
In 2022, the Biden administration cracked down on Polymarket for operating without a license. Under a settlement with Washington regulators, Polymarket paid a $1.4 million fine and shuttered its U.S. business. FBI agents later used a battering ram to enter the Manhattan apartment of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan as part of a probe into whether the company violated that settlement. The Justice Department has since dropped its investigation into Polymarket.
Why this Matters to You
If you are interested in cryptocurrency or prediction markets, you may find access to Polymarket's services altered. Its website remains technically banned in the U.S. under the 2022 settlement, though it offers a 'view-only mode' allowing users to see bets but not wager money. A separate version of Polymarket has been approved to re-enter the U.S. market, which could expand your options for legal participation. The company's terms of service instruct users not to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to disguise their location; U.S. Army master sergeant Gannon Van Dyke was recently indicted for allegedly using a VPN to mask his location to wager $33,000 on Polymarket. If you engage with Polymarket from overseas, your legal disputes would be resolved through a closed-door arbitration process in Panama.
What's Next
Polymarket's trading volume appears to be growing significantly; according to analytics firm The Block, more than $8 billion was traded on Polymarket in April, compared to less than $1 billion in April of the previous year. The firm estimates the broader prediction market industry recorded more than $24 billion in trades last month. Polymarket has maintained an office in New York City, and Donald Trump Jr. has become an adviser to the company, with his venture capital firm, 1789 Capital, investing millions. The company's Panamanian base offers potential tax advantages, as Panama does not have income tax for companies whose work occurs outside the country and has no capital gains tax on investments.