Blockchain.com Applies for US Licenses for Prediction Markets and Derivatives

Blockchain.com is making strides to expand its offerings in the United States by applying for two regulatory licenses that would enable it to provide prediction markets and cryptocurrency derivatives to both retail and institutional customers. According to a report by CNBC, the digital asset platform is seeking designation as a designated contract market (DCM), which would allow it to operate a futures exchange, and is also pursuing registration as a futures commission merchant (FCM).

The applications aim to introduce event contracts that allow traders to speculate on the outcomes of real-world events, alongside crypto derivatives. CEO and cofounder Peter Smith emphasized the company's goal of enabling users to manage digital assets, trade derivatives, and engage in prediction markets seamlessly within a single platform.

This move follows Blockchain.com’s earlier partnership with Polymarket to introduce prediction markets and the launch of perpetual futures powered by Hyperliquid for select customers outside the US. The new applications are part of a broader strategy to compete in the US market, where platforms like Crypto.com, Gemini, and Coinbase already operate similar products.

Blockchain.com is among 12 companies that have filed for DCM licenses this year, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) having approved six new DCMs in 2026. This expansion comes as the company prepares for a potential public listing, having confidentially submitted a draft registration statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year.