How does Polymarket work?

Polymarket lets you buy YES or NO shares on questions about real-world events. Each share costs between £0 and £1 and pays out £1 if your chosen outcome occurs. The share price reflects the market's implied probability.

How are markets resolved?

Markets are resolved using UMA's decentralised Optimistic Oracle. When the event outcome is known, the oracle submits a result on-chain. Anyone can dispute it within 48 hours. Winning shares automatically pay out £1 each.

Is my money safe on Polymarket UK?

Polymarket UK never holds your funds. All positions are secured by audited smart contracts on the Polygon network. We use non-custodial infrastructure so only you control your assets.

What is the minimum trade size?

The minimum trade size on Polymarket UK is £1. There is no maximum. Gas fees on Polygon are typically under £0.01 per transaction.

How It Works — Polymarket UK Prediction Markets Explained

Trading in 5 Simple Steps

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Step 01

Create Your Account

Sign up in under 60 seconds with your email address, or connect instantly with MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, or any WalletConnect-compatible wallet. No lengthy KYC for small positions.

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Step 02

Fund Your Account

Deposit using USDC stablecoin, ETH, or GBP via debit card (powered by Stripe). Minimum deposit is £10. Your funds are converted to USDC and held in your non-custodial smart contract wallet.

USDC ETH Debit Card Bank Transfer

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Step 03

Find a Market You Believe In

Browse 8,400+ open markets across politics, crypto, sports, economics, and more. Each market shows the current probability price, total volume, and the event resolution date.

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Step 04

Buy YES or NO Shares

Each share trades between £0.01 and £0.99 and pays out exactly £1 if your outcome occurs (or £0 if not). A YES share priced at £0.65 implies a 65% probability — buy it if you think the true probability is higher.

Example

Q: Will Bitcoin hit £100K before Dec 2025?

YES shares @ £0.61 NO shares @ £0.39

Buy 100 YES shares for £61 → win £100 if Bitcoin hits target (+£39 profit)

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Step 05

Collect Your Winnings

When the event resolves, the UMA oracle submits the outcome on-chain. Winning shares automatically become worth £1 each — credited to your wallet within minutes, with no manual claim needed.

The Technology Behind Polymarket

Built on proven blockchain infrastructure for transparency, security, and instant settlement.

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Polygon Network

All trades execute on Polygon PoS — Ethereum-secured, with gas fees under £0.01 and block confirmation in seconds.

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UMA Optimistic Oracle

Market outcomes are submitted by bonded proposers and can be disputed by anyone within a 48-hour window. Disputes go to UMA token holder vote.

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CLOB Order Book

Polymarket uses a Central Limit Order Book (CLOB) for tight spreads and deep liquidity — the same model used by professional financial exchanges.

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Non-Custodial Wallets

Funds are held in smart contract wallets controlled by your private keys. Polymarket can never access, freeze, or move your funds.

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Audited Smart Contracts

All contracts are audited by leading Web3 security firms. Full audit reports are publicly available on our GitHub.

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USDC Collateral

All markets are denominated in USDC — a fully reserved, regulated stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. No algorithmic risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a prediction market? +

A prediction market is a financial exchange where participants buy and sell contracts whose value is determined by the outcome of real-world events. The price of a contract reflects the market's collective estimate of the probability that an event will occur.

Is Polymarket UK legal in the United Kingdom? +

Polymarket UK operates under the applicable UK financial regulations. We work with licensed payment and custody partners for GBP fiat flows. Users are responsible for understanding their local regulatory environment. Please read our Terms of Service for full details.

What fees does Polymarket UK charge? +

Polymarket UK charges a 2% fee on winnings only — you only pay if you profit. There are no trading fees, no deposit fees, and no subscription costs. Polygon gas fees are under £0.01 per trade.

Can I exit a position before the market resolves? +

Yes. You can sell your YES or NO shares at any time before resolution on the open order book. The price you receive will depend on the current market price, which fluctuates based on supply and demand.

How is the outcome of a market determined? +

Markets are resolved using the UMA Optimistic Oracle. A bonded proposer submits the outcome based on publicly available information. Anyone can dispute the resolution within 48 hours by staking a bond. Disputes escalate to a UMA token holder vote. The resolution criteria for each market are stated clearly before trading begins.

What is the minimum amount I can trade? +

The minimum trade size is £1 (approximately $1.25 USD). Polygon gas fees are under £0.01, making even small trades economical. There is no maximum trade size.

How Polymarket Works