Polymarket Partners with Circle to Switch to Native USDC for Fully Dollar-Backed Settlements

Polymarket, one of the world’s largest on-chain prediction markets, announced a strategic partnership with Circle Internet Group to transition from bridged USDC (USDC.e) to native USDC as its primary settlement collateral, marking a major upgrade in how dollar-denominated trades are conducted on the platform. 

Under the agreement, Polymarket will replace bridged versions of USDC used on Polygon with native USDC issued directly by Circle’s regulated affiliates, which is redeemable 1:1 for U.S. dollars — a move intended to enhance settlement reliability, efficiency and transparency for users. 

Since its launch, Polymarket has relied on bridged USDC — a token representation of Circle’s stablecoin that is created via cross-chain mechanisms — as collateral for trading event outcome contracts. Native USDC eliminates the additional bridge layer, which reduces operational complexity and counterparty risk for traders. 

In a statement, Polymarket co-founder Shayne Coplan said the partnership with Circle is a critical step in strengthening market infrastructure and trust, especially as the platform continues to grow in volume and attract a broader user base. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire added that the integration brings a regulated, fully-backed dollar rail to prediction markets, aligning Polymarket’s settlement layer with mainstream dollar-denominated financial standards. 

The transition to native USDC is expected to be completed over the coming months, with users benefitting from faster, more capital-efficient trading and settlement as the platform prepares for further expansion in 2026.