Gen Z is betting on the future itself.
By Maxime Laurent · 2026-01-27 12:51
Gen Z is betting on the future itself.
Prediction markets are becoming culture, not niche — and Gen Z is pushing them mainstream.
According to The New Consumer, 31% of Americans already believe platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi will be part of the cultural code. Among zoomers and millennials, awareness is 3–4x higher than older generations. For them, prediction markets sit right next to sports betting — same reflex, different playground.
And the numbers are loud. The two leaders together are valued around $20B. Weekly volumes on Kalshi swing between $1.7B and $2.3B, while Polymarket prints $1B+ weeks like it’s normal. Google searches? Still 20–30x higher than pre-2024 elections. This isn’t a fad — it stuck.
What changed everything was regulation. Polymarket officially came back to the US, and Kalshi pulled off a serious legal win, getting political betting approved at the federal level after its fight with the CFTC. That’s not rebellion anymore — that’s institutional acceptance.
I think this makes total sense. Younger generations don’t trust talking heads; they trust markets. If you want truth, put money on it. Prediction markets feel like Bloomberg terminals for vibes and probabilities. C’est carré.
This is finance turning into a social signal — and Gen Z understands it instinctively.
#predictionmarkets #GenZ #Polymarket #Kalshi #fintech #culture #CryptoFriture
Prediction markets are becoming culture, not niche — and Gen Z is pushing them mainstream.
According to The New Consumer, 31% of Americans already believe platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi will be part of the cultural code. Among zoomers and millennials, awareness is 3–4x higher than older generations. For them, prediction markets sit right next to sports betting — same reflex, different playground.
And the numbers are loud. The two leaders together are valued around $20B. Weekly volumes on Kalshi swing between $1.7B and $2.3B, while Polymarket prints $1B+ weeks like it’s normal. Google searches? Still 20–30x higher than pre-2024 elections. This isn’t a fad — it stuck.
What changed everything was regulation. Polymarket officially came back to the US, and Kalshi pulled off a serious legal win, getting political betting approved at the federal level after its fight with the CFTC. That’s not rebellion anymore — that’s institutional acceptance.
I think this makes total sense. Younger generations don’t trust talking heads; they trust markets. If you want truth, put money on it. Prediction markets feel like Bloomberg terminals for vibes and probabilities. C’est carré.
This is finance turning into a social signal — and Gen Z understands it instinctively.
#predictionmarkets #GenZ #Polymarket #Kalshi #fintech #culture #CryptoFriture
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and not financial advice.