Crypto.com launched OG, a standalone prediction markets platform, on February 3. The move follows 40x weekly growth in the company's prediction markets business over the past six months.
The real story is what OG brings that competitors don't. The platform operates under Crypto.com Derivatives North America (CDNA), which holds CFTC registration. That regulatory foundation distinguishes it from offshore platforms like Polymarket, which recently integrated with MetaMask's 30+ million wallet users but lacks US regulatory approval.
OG's planned margin trading on prediction contracts is the platform's key differentiator. According to the company, this will be the first such offering in prediction markets, delivered through Crypto.com's federally licensed futures commission merchant. The feature targets traders familiar with leveraged positions in crypto and traditional markets.
The platform covers sports contracts as its primary focus, plus financial, political, cultural, and entertainment events. OG launches with partnerships tied to Crypto.com Arena, UFC, Formula 1, and UEFA Champions League. The first million users receive up to $500 in rewards.
The timing aligns with broader market consolidation. In December 2025, Crypto.com joined a Coalition for Prediction Markets alongside Kalshi, Robinhood, Coinbase, and Underdog. The mature prediction markets sector is estimated to exceed $1 trillion in annual trading volume.
Research on the 2024 US presidential election found that prediction market prices "strongly led traditional polls in predicting outcomes," demonstrating information efficiency that traditional betting markets lack. That accuracy creates both opportunity and risk: the contracts function as event-driven derivatives, with corresponding execution and counterparty risks.
Competition is intensifying. High Roller Technologies announced a binding partnership with CDNA on January 14 to launch HighRoller.com in Q1 2026. Kalshi operates with CFTC regulation domestically. User retention remains the key question as multiple platforms compete for the same trading audience.
What to watch: whether margin trading attracts sophisticated traders or creates retail risk exposure, and whether CFTC regulation becomes a requirement for US market access.