Crypto.com OG App: The Strategic Masterstroke in the Booming $13B Prediction Market Arena

In a decisive move that underscores the explosive maturation of a niche financial sector, Crypto.com has officially launched ‘OG,’ a standalone prediction market application. This strategic spin-out, announced on Tuesday, positions the crypto giant to directly challenge established players like Polymarket and Kalshi in what executives now term a ‘deca-billion dollar industry.’ The launch follows a reported 40x weekly growth in Crypto.com’s prediction market operations over the past six months, signaling a pivotal moment for event contract trading in the United States.

Crypto.com OG App Enters a Hyper-Competitive Landscape

Crypto.com’s decision to create a dedicated platform for prediction markets is a direct response to unprecedented user adoption. Initially introduced as a ‘sports event trading’ product in December 2024, the service’s rapid scaling necessitated a focused, standalone effort. Consequently, OG now operates under Crypto.com Derivatives North America (CDNA), a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-registered exchange and clearinghouse. This regulatory foundation is a critical differentiator, providing a compliant framework for U.S. users that many purely blockchain-based platforms lack.

Meanwhile, the competitive field is intensifying rapidly. Notably, Coinbase entered a partnership with Kalshi in late January 2025 to launch its own stateside prediction market. Similarly, layer-1 blockchain Hyperliquid proposed expansion plans into the sector just this Monday. OG’s debut, therefore, occurs during a period of fierce competition and institutional validation. The platform’s immediate availability is currently restricted to the United States, a strategic choice that aligns with its regulatory-first approach through CDNA.

The Meteoric Rise of Prediction Markets in 2025

The timing of OG’s launch is far from coincidental. Prediction markets are experiencing a historic boom, transitioning from a crypto-native curiosity to a mainstream financial instrument. According to data from International Banker, the sector witnessed a staggering 130-fold growth from early 2024 to the end of 2025. Monthly volumes exploded from under $100 million to over $13 billion. This growth is fueled not just by cryptocurrency enthusiasts but by broader Wall Street interest in ‘event contracts’ for hedging and speculative purposes beyond simple betting.

Furthermore, investment and revenue projections paint a picture of a sector in its infancy. Market leaders Polymarket and Kalshi collectively facilitated $37 billion in predictions during 2025 alone, attracting $3.6 billion in equity investment. Analysis from Citizens Financial Group suggests that prediction market firm revenues could quintuple, ballooning from approximately $2 billion annually to over $10 billion by 2030. The table below illustrates the dramatic scale of this expansion.

Executive Insight: Growth Warrants a Concerted Effort

Kris Marszalek, co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com, explicitly linked the OG launch to the business unit’s performance. “We’ve experienced 40x weekly growth in our prediction market business over the last six months,” Marszalek stated. “This type of growth warrants a concerted effort with a standalone platform.” This sentiment highlights a common corporate strategy: spinning out high-growth segments to allow for specialized focus, accelerated development, and clearer market positioning. Nick Lundgren, who serves as both Crypto.com’s chief legal officer and the new CEO of OG, emphasized the sector’s scale, calling it a “deca-billion dollar industry.” His dual role underscores the paramount importance of regulatory navigation in this venture.

Regulation and Structure: OG’s Core Advantage

OG’s operational structure may be its most significant strategic asset. By being powered by Crypto.com Derivatives North America (CDNA), OG is not a decentralized application operating in a regulatory gray area. Instead, it functions as a service from a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse. This provides several key advantages:

• Legal Clarity: U.S. users engage with a recognized entity, mitigating regulatory uncertainty.
• Consumer Protection: As a regulated exchange, CDNA must adhere to strict standards for fund custody, market integrity, and dispute resolution.
• Mainstream Accessibility: The familiar structure lowers the barrier to entry for traditional finance participants exploring event contracts.
• Strategic Partnerships: A regulated status facilitates deals with traditional sports leagues and media companies, similar to Polymarket’s recent agreement with a major U.S. soccer league.

This regulated approach contrasts with many existing prediction markets that rely on blockchain technology and crypto assets to operate with global accessibility but face ongoing regulatory scrutiny. OG’s U.S.-first, compliance-focused model represents a distinct path to market capture.

Conclusion: A Defining Launch for a Maturing Sector

The launch of the Crypto.com OG app marks a definitive inflection point for the prediction market industry. It represents the entry of a major, regulated cryptocurrency exchange into a space experiencing hyperbolic growth. By spinning out OG as a standalone entity backed by a CFTC-registered affiliate, Crypto.com is betting that regulatory compliance and institutional-grade structure will be the winning formula in the crowded U.S. market. As Wall Street continues to explore the utility of event contracts and monthly volumes soar into the billions, OG’s debut is not just another product launch—it is a validation of prediction markets as a serious and scalable financial vertical. The 40x growth that preceded this move suggests Crypto.com is not merely entering a trend but capitalizing on a fundamental shift in how people trade on the probability of future events.

FAQs

Q1: What is the Crypto.com OG app?
The OG app is a standalone prediction market platform spun out from Crypto.com. It allows users in the United States to trade event contracts on outcomes like sports, politics, and finance, and it is operated by Crypto.com’s CFTC-regulated derivatives exchange.

Q2: How is OG different from Polymarket?
The primary difference is regulatory structure. OG is powered by a CFTC-registered U.S. exchange (CDNA), while Polymarket is a blockchain-based, global platform that has faced regulatory challenges. OG’s model prioritizes U.S. compliance from the outset.

Q3: Why did Crypto.com create a separate app for prediction markets?
Company executives cited a 40x weekly growth rate in their prediction market business over six months. This explosive growth justified a dedicated, concerted effort with a standalone platform to better serve the market and compete effectively.

Q4: Can users outside the United States access the OG app?
No. As of its launch, the OG app is only available to users within the United States. This aligns with its strategy of operating strictly within the U.S. regulatory framework provided by its affiliate, CDNA.

Q5: What are prediction markets, and why are they growing so fast?
Prediction markets are platforms where people trade contracts based on the outcome of future events. Their growth, from under $100M to over $13B monthly, is driven by increased mainstream adoption, utility for hedging, and significant venture capital investment recognizing their potential as a new financial asset class.