Polymarket in November 2026 is the deepest crypto prediction market, with thousands of open events, free public data and self-custody, but it is closed to new positions in the US (outside its separate US app), the UK, France and other countries, charges taker fees on most categories and resolves disputes through a token vote. This review is Nimb's, written from public facts checked on 8 November 2026; Nimb maps Polymarket, earns a builder fee on orders routed through it, and is not affiliated with Polymarket.
Polymarket at a glance
| Polymarket (international) | |
|---|---|
| What it is | Peer-to-peer prediction market with an order book |
| Money | pUSD on Polygon; deposits from many chains converted automatically |
| Custody | Your own wallet |
| Fees | Takers: shares × rate × p × (1 − p), rate 0–0.07 by category; makers: none |
| Markets | 19,636 open events on 8 November 2026 |
| Volume | About $255M traded on open events over 7 days |
| Resolution | UMA optimistic oracle, with disputes and a token-holder vote |
| Who can open positions | Not the US, UK, France and about 35 other countries; sanctioned places blocked |
| Data | Free public APIs, no key to read |
What is good about Polymarket?
- Depth on big questions. Headline elections, wars and central-bank decisions often have millions of dollars traded and spreads of a point or less.
- Breadth. Questions that no bookmaker or exchange lists, from ceasefires to model releases.
- Transparency. Every trade and position is on-chain; the data is free. That is what makes tools like Nimb's holder list possible.
- Self-custody. Funds sit in your wallet, not in an account that can be frozen.
- No fee on makers, none on geopolitics. Limit orders that rest on the book pay no platform fee.
What is not so good?
- Thin long tail. Most of the thousands of markets have little money and wide spreads. Total volume is concentrated in a few hundred events.
- Crypto onboarding. A wallet, a recovery phrase and a deposit on the right network are a real hurdle and a real risk. Create a wallet.
- Resolution disputes. Most markets resolve cleanly, but ambiguous rules end in a UMA vote, and some outcomes have been contested publicly.
- Country limits. Large markets for most traders in the US, UK and France are close-only on the international platform.
- Taker fees of up to about 1.75% of the trade value at 50% in crypto markets (0.07 × 0.5 × 0.5), less at other prices.
Who is Polymarket for?
For people outside restricted countries who want to read or trade the crowd's view of news events, are comfortable with a self-custody wallet and can afford to lose what they put in. It is not a savings product and not a way to earn a steady income. Can you make money on Polymarket?
How does it compare?
Against Kalshi: regulated US exchange, dollar accounts, different country list; see Polymarket vs Kalshi. Against other venues: best prediction markets and Polymarket alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Polymarket worth using?
For reading the news through prices, yes: the data is free and you do not need an account. For trading, only if it is legal where you live and you accept the risks.
Is Polymarket trustworthy?
It is a large, investor-backed platform with on-chain settlement. The main risks are your own trades, rule disputes and scams that imitate it. Is Polymarket safe?
How long do Polymarket withdrawals take?
Usually minutes, depending on the destination chain. How to withdraw.
Last reviewed 8 November 2026 · Data from Polymarket · Not financial advice · Nimb is not affiliated with Polymarket.