Kalshi just closed out a historic 2025, and the numbers are impossible to ignore. Their total annual volume hit $24.2 billion, skyrocketing from just $1.9 billion in 2024.
This isn't just growth; it's a phase change. The platform set blistering new records, with a $6.38 billion month in December and a $2.3 billion week. When combined with Polymarket, these prediction markets approached $40 billion in total volume last year.
Here's my take: Prediction markets are achieving institutional scale. $24.2B in volume is a clear signal that the demand to trade real-world events is massive. With multi-billion dollar valuations, these platforms are building the infrastructure for a new asset class. For the crypto world, it raises a critical question: is this immense, sports-driven liquidity the bridge to mainstream adoption of decentralized prediction markets?
Will 2026 be the year this momentum floods into Web3?