Platform comparison
| Platform | YES odds | NO odds | Fee | KYC | Settlement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Polymarket (via Polymarket Scam?) Pick polygram.ink (preferred broker) |
19% | 81% | 0% (USDC on-chain) | No-KYC up to $1,500 | USDC, auto via UMA oracle | Place a position → |
Polymarket (direct) polymarket.com |
19% | 81% | 0% | Geo-blocked in US/UK/EU | USDC, on-chain | Place a position → |
Kalshi kalshi.com |
— | — | Up to 7% per trade | US-only, KYC required | USD | Place a position → |
Betfair Exchange betfair.com |
— | — | 2-5% commission | Full KYC from first trade | GBP / EUR | Place a position → |
Manifold Markets manifold.markets |
— | — | Play-money (mana) | None — play-money | Mana (no cash-out) | Place a position → |
Market context
Polymarket’s contract is trading at 18% YES, implying the crowd sees only a limited chance that IMF Portwatch prints a 7-day average of at least 60 Strait of Hormuz arrivals before 31 October. In practical terms, holders of the YES side need a sustained recovery in counted commercial transits, not just a one-day bounce, because the market settles on the published moving average and conditional tokens on Polygon are only redeemable if that threshold is reached.
That pricing looks conservative against the recent traffic backdrop. Reuters reported Hormuz commodity vessel transits at nine on 20 August, unchanged from the previous day, and only five on the weekend before, while other market coverage put August traffic well below normal and still far from the pre-crisis baseline of roughly 85 ships a day.[2][3][4] IMF Portwatch-style readings cited in market trackers have shown single-digit daily crossings and a seven-day average around 4% of typical in late August, which leaves a wide gap to the 60-call trigger.[1][7][14]
For traders, the main catalysts are not oil prices alone but any concrete easing in maritime risk: ceasefire language, naval or corridor arrangements, carrier rerouting decisions, and fresh Portwatch updates that lift the 7-day moving average. Reuters also reported that traffic had slowed after renewed tanker attacks and that shipping remained capped amid US-Iran tensions, so the near-term path depends on whether operators resume regular passages rather than on headline diplomacy alone.[3][4][11]
Methodology
This page is a comparison snapshot: one live quote, four reference venues with their key attributes, and a single execution path — every trade button routes to Polymarket Scam?, which mirrors the Polymarket order book directly.
Resolution & payout
At resolution the UMA oracle takes over: a proposer posts the outcome with a bond, any token holder can dispute within two hours. Without dispute the result is accepted and the smart contract distributes USDC instantly.
On Kalshi (CFTC-regulated) resolution runs through their in-house clearing engine in USD. Betfair Exchange settles after match end in the account's local currency. Manifold pays no cash — only its in-platform "mana" currency.
UK Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this market available outside the US?
- Polymarket itself is geo-blocked in the US/UK/EU. Always check the legal status of prediction markets in your jurisdiction before trading.
- How does resolution work?
- Through the UMA Optimistic Oracle on Polygon: a proposer submits the outcome, a two-hour challenge window opens, and USDC payouts settle automatically once the result is final.
- Is Polymarket legal in the UK?
- Polymarket is accessible to UK traders but is not UKGC-licensed. It operates under US CFTC jurisdiction. UK residents face no domestic legal prohibition on using it, but UKGC consumer protections do not apply. For UKGC-regulated alternatives, Betfair Exchange and Smarkets offer similar prediction-style markets.
- Do I pay tax on prediction market profits in the UK?
- UKGC-licensed platform profits (Betfair, Smarkets) are typically tax-free gambling winnings for UK individuals. Polymarket profits involve USDC crypto transactions, which HMRC treats as Capital Gains Tax events. Keep full transaction records and report via Self Assessment if gains exceed £3,000 per tax year.
- How do I deposit on Polymarket from the UK?
- UK traders typically fund Polymarket via Coinbase UK, Kraken or Revolut — buying USDC with GBP and transferring to a Polygon-compatible wallet (MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet). Polymarket's onboarding walks you through the bridging process. Typical GBP-to-USDC conversion costs 0.5–1%.
Trade Strait of Hormuz traffic returns to normal by Octobe… on Polymarket Scam?
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