Kalshi is the first CFTC-regulated prediction market exchange, providing a platform that allows users to bet on the outcomes of real-world events. Founded by two MIT graduates, Kalshi is one of the fastest-growing online financial exchanges in the world.
Established: 2018 (public launch in 2021)
Headquarters: 594 Broadway, Suite 407, New York City, New York 10012
License information: Licensed by the CFTC (2020)
About Kalshi
Kalshi was founded in 2018 by two financial analysts, Tarek Mansour and Luana Lopes Lara. The project originally began life under the name Kownig, before changing to its current name, which translates as “everything” in Arabic. Kalshi attained a licence from the CFTC in 2020, before launching publicly in July 2021.
Kalshi is a prediction market that allows users to place bets and trade on real-world events that have yet to occur. The site primarily offers sports trades and is described as “heavily tied to the sports calendar.”
Kalshi has received widespread media coverage for its market predictions and has been embroiled in several controversies since its launch, including allegations of betting on Gaza and attempts to attract a younger audience.
Kalshi has formed several partnerships and, following another strong funding round, is now valued at around $5 billion.
Company Milestones
- In November 2025, Kalshi announced a partnership with global marketplace StockX.
- Kalshi also signed formal partnerships with CNN and CNBC.
- The company is also partnered with Webull Financial LLC and Robinhood Derivatives LLC.
- Kalshi won a landmark 2024 case, becoming the first federally regulated event-contract exchange in the United States following CFTC approval.
Senior Executives & Leadership
Kalshi co-founder and CEO Tarek Mansour worked at Goldman Sachs, Palantir Technologies, and Citadel before launching Kalshi in 2021. With a background in engineering and IT, Luana Lopes Lara co-founded Kalshi with Mansour and was named by Forbes as the world’s youngest self-made woman billionaire.
Supporting the co-founders is a strong leadership team:
- Sarah Slane – Head of Corporate Development, overseeing and developing
- Eli Levine – CTO, driving technological innovation and platform security
- Rebecca Schick – CFO, ensuring financial stability and strategic investment
This strong leadership team has helped turn Kalshi into one of the world’s leading prediction markets, pioneering the market and driving strong growth and success.
In the Media
Kalshi has received widespread media coverage and attention since it came to market, and has been embroiled in its fair share of controversy along the way. Here are some of the most recent news stories involving Kalshi, as covered by Gambling Insider.
- Kalshi raises $185m at $2bn valuation amid surge in prediction market activity. The fundraising round follows legal progress and increased investor interest in event-driven trading, with rival Polymarket also nearing a major deal.
- Statscore and Kalshi confirm three-year partnership for sports trading expansion. Agreement to integrate live sports data with regulated prediction markets.
- Tennessee Orders Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com to Halt Prediction Markets. The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council (SWC) has sent cease-and-desist letters to Crypto.com, Polymarket, and Kalshi. It calls on these prediction market sites to immediately stop accepting business from customers in the state, to void any pending contracts, and to issue total refunds by the end of January.
- Kalshi Signs First Professional Athlete Partnership with Bryson DeChambeau. Kalshi has signed its first professional athlete ambassador, golfer Bryson DeChambeau — marking a significant milestone in the commercialization of federally regulated prediction markets.
- Kalshi Wins Partial Stay in Nevada While Ninth Circuit Appeal Looms. A federal judge in Nevada partially paused Kalshi’s ongoing case with state regulators. Chief Judge Andrew P. Gordon did so on January 14 to allow the Ninth Circuit to consider the prediction market platform’s appeal of a November ruling that dissolved a preliminary injunction.
- KPMG: Contextualising Kalshi and the CFTC dispute. Gambling Insider takes a deep dive into the much-needed context – provided by KPMG – on the past, present, and future of prediction market legality, amidst Kalshi’s ongoing legal saga.
- Massachusetts Court Blocks Kalshi Sports Markets in Bay State. Massachusetts officials scored a legal victory in court Tuesday in their case against Kalshi as a judge granted an injunction barring the prediction market operator from offering futures contracts on sporting events in the Bay State.
- CFTC seeks to settle with Kalshi. The Commission has sought approval of the settlement from the US District Court.
Social Media
- Twitter/X – https://x.com/kalshi
- LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/kalshi/
- Discord – https://discord.com/invite/kalshi
- Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kalshi/
- TikTik – https://www.tiktok.com/@kalshi
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Kalshi is an online prediction market that allows users to trade contracts on the outcomes of real-life events across sectors such as politics, sports, and the economy.
A: Kalshi was founded in 2018 by Tarek Mansour and Luana Lopes Lara, who met at MIT and identified a market gap: there was no direct way for people to trade on event outcomes.
A: Yes. In fact, Kalshi has been pivotal in helping to legalize prediction markets and has obtained CFTC licensing.
A: Kalshi allows its users to trade contracts and “bet” on the outcome of a wide range of real-world events, including politics, sports, culture, cryptocurrency, the stock market, economics, companies, and even the climate.
A: Kalshi has been praised in some circles for its accuracy, while others have raised concerns about issues such as insider trading. Nevertheless, prediction markets seem to provide strong market guidance on event outcomes.
References
- The only crypto platform you need (Crypto.com)