

Robinhood is broadening its choices to draw extra customers by introducing funding contracts linked to the end result of the November US Presidential election, in line with an Oct. 28 assertion.
Occasion-based derivatives buying and selling permits traders to invest on particular occurrences, reminiscent of election outcomes or financial coverage bulletins, with out buying associated property. Based on the agency, its contracts will enable folks to have interaction in real-time decision-making and unlock a brand new asset class that democratizes entry to occasions as they unfold.
Robinhood said that its election-linked contracts will likely be open for buying and selling till Nov. 8, with costs fluctuating between $0.02 and $0.99, pushed by market sentiment. As Election Day approaches, the worth of the contract for the successful candidate will rise, paying out near $1.
The agency continued that every dealer’s successful could be paid out on Jan. 8, 2025, after the presidential outcomes are licensed by the US Congress on Jan. 6, 2025.
The product will likely be rolled out to a restricted variety of US-based prospects beginning at the moment.
Elevated competitors for Polymarket
Robinhood’s entry into the election contract market brings added competitors to an area dominated by the decentralized betting market Polymarket. Different platforms, reminiscent of BET on Solana and Trump Prediction Market Perpetuals on dYdX, supply election-related event-based choices, creating an more and more aggressive market.
In the meantime, Polymarket has recently confronted added scrutiny over unproven issues about market manipulation. Market observers have famous an increase in large-scale wagers favoring the Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Nonetheless, market participation is usually onerous to provably attribute to manipulation somewhat than pure free market mechanics.
CEO Shayne Coplan has addressed these allegations, defending Polymarket’s integrity and dismissing issues about manipulation, though some market observers stay skeptical. He said:
“Polymarket is strictly non-partisan. We get informed we’re Dem operatives and MAGA, relying on the day. Sadly the story is far much less juicy, we’re simply market nerds who assume prediction markets present the general public with a a lot wanted different information supply.”
As of the newest information, Polymarket’s election final result market has seen roughly $2.5 billion in quantity. Present odds counsel a 65% likelihood of successful for Trump, whereas his opponent Kamala Harris holds a 35% odds.