World Cup countdown! What are the trending topics in Gate prediction markets?

The 2026 North America, Canada, and Mexico World Cup is set to kick off grandly on June 12, 2026. This edition is the first ever jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The participating teams expand from 32 to 48, and the total number of matches increases to 104—bringing historic changes to both the competition format and the competitive landscape. As the countdown to opening match enters its final stage, crypto industry prediction markets have also seen an unprecedented surge in attention.

As a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, Gate completed its integration with Polymarket, the world’s largest decentralized prediction market platform, as early as March 2026. It became the first centralized exchange to access prediction markets, providing users with a brand-new, low-barrier channel to participate in prediction markets. By early June, the total trading volume of Polymarket’s “2026 World Cup Champion” prediction event had already surpassed 908 million USD, making it the largest single event by volume among sports prediction markets.

Gate Prediction Markets: A Snapshot of Trending Topics

Prediction markets are becoming one of the most watched tracks in the 2026 crypto world. As of May 2026, open interest in the prediction market sector has soared to a record high of 1.3 billion USD. In April, the combined trading volume of Kalshi and Polymarket exceeded 150 billion USD. In March, the number of monthly prediction market users grew 118% year over year to 865,411. Industry research data further indicates that by the beginning of 2026, the industry’s theoretical trading volume had already exceeded 12.75 billion USD.

Currently, the most active themes on Gate’s prediction markets mainly focus on the following directions:

• 2026 World Cup Champion prediction market. As the single most liquid and highest-volume event in the entire prediction ecosystem, the World Cup champion market has attracted hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide to compete. As the tournament gets closer, the battle for the champion continues to heat up. France’s championship probability: 16%, England’s: 11%, Brazil’s: 8%, Argentina’s: 8%. Gate intelligent monitoring has also gone live, automatically tracking core users on the top lists such as “smart money” and whales, capturing strategy shifts and hot market opportunities in real time.
• Sports event prediction markets. From the NBA Finals to UFC events, sports-related prediction activities have rapidly expanded in 2026. Industry reports show that sports events have become the most liquid and most participated-in category in prediction markets. Taking the ongoing NBA Finals as an example, market odds can fluctuate significantly within a single day based on match results—fully demonstrating the price discovery efficiency of prediction markets.
• Crypto market and AI theme predictions. Users can not only predict short-term price directions of mainstream assets like BTC and ETH, but also trade predictions around events such as changes in DeFi total locked value, ETF approval outcomes, AI model releases, and tech giant IPOs. In the recent cycle, prediction contracts related to crypto and AI have received notable attention, reflecting the market’s broad focus on technological change and the evolution of digital assets.
• Political and macroeconomic event prediction. Global topics such as expectations for Federal Reserve policy, inflation trajectories, employment data, central bank rate decisions, and geopolitical developments are also key active segments in prediction markets.
• Innovative “black swan” markets. Recently, a trending market called “Nothing Ever Happens: June” bundled multiple high-impact global scenarios into a single prediction contract, drawing substantial attention. These contracts provide users with a new tool to hedge against unexpected macroeconomic and geopolitical shocks.

Meanwhile, Gate continues to upgrade the prediction market product experience. Recently, it strengthened event search and categorization logic, adding a “Hot Topics” section and an “Instant Events” page so users can lock onto market focus faster. The system also integrates AI analysis capabilities to automatically organize event background and key factors, helping users quickly understand market context. At the same time, it added transparent data such as smart money, whales, and changes in major holdings—making capital flows clearly visible. In terms of trading experience, the new interface supports both market orders and limit orders; users can place orders directly from the event list, greatly improving operational efficiency for high-frequency events.

Gate’s Latest World Cup Prediction Activities: Green Field Prophets, Betting Carnival Season

In response to the globally watched 2026 World Cup, Gate officially launched the themed event “Green Field Prophets, World Cup Betting Carnival Season.” Centered on all 104 matches of the World Cup, it offers multiple gameplay modes—including betting, trading incentives, points rankings, champion predictions, and community interactions—unlocking a total prize pool of over 500,000 USDT and limited physical rewards.

Event Period: June 4, 2026, 16:00 to July 21, 2026, 16:00 (UTC+8), covering the full World Cup schedule.

Highlight 1: Trading Unlocks Prediction Benefits

During the event, users who complete specified spot, futures, and CFD trading tasks can claim prediction market experience vouchers and betting vouchers. The higher the trading volume, the more betting vouchers you can earn. For example, for users whose cumulative weekly spot trading volume reaches 2,000,000 USDT, they can receive 50 USDT in prediction market experience vouchers and 500 betting vouchers. VIP users can also receive exclusive upgrade rewards and limited-edition football jersey gift boxes.

Highlight 2: Betting Points Leaderboard

After users use betting vouchers to participate in win/draw/lose predictions for World Cup matches, they will earn points based on the results of their predictions. After the event ends, the platform will distribute total 30,000 USDT in leaderboard rewards based on betting points. The champion user can receive a 6,000 USDT reward, a limited World Cup jersey gift box, and Gate’s 13th anniversary memorabilia. Users ranked in the top 100 will each have a chance to receive the corresponding rewards.

Highlight 3: The Ultimate Champion Prediction Pool

Participants who successfully and correctly predict the country that will win the 2026 World Cup champion share an additional 5,000 USDT in the champion prediction bonus pool. Users can make in-depth analyses and judgments based on factors such as team performance trends, player form, and tactical evolution.

Highlight 4: Invitation Rewards and Live Draws

The event also includes multiple elements such as VIP-exclusive jersey benefits, invitation rewards, and World Cup-themed live draw activities. Through rewards such as limited-edition merchandise and prediction market experience funds, it further boosts participation and enhances the interactive experience during the tournament.

In addition to prediction activities, users can also directly enter Polymarket through the Gate App Alpha section and use USDT in their exchange account to conduct “real-money” prediction trading on markets related to the World Cup. Whether you’re a beginner who prefers the “Yes/No” probability display or a professional trader accustomed to precise order book operations, Gate offers corresponding trading modes for you to choose from.

In recent years, Gate has continued to deepen cross-industry cooperation in sports. It has become the official sleeve patch partner of Inter Milan, the official sleeve patch sponsor of Inter Milan U23, and the official sponsor of the Red Bull Racing F1 team. Through the World Cup, Gate brings together football passion, insights from prediction markets, and the fun of crypto trading—delivering users with a richer and more diverse World Cup participation experience.

Summary

The 2026 World Cup is not only a football festival once every four years, but also a global game of expectations. From real-time probability changes over who will be crowned champion, to the rise path of dark horse teams, and to where individual players’ honors will land—Gate’s prediction markets bring “monetizing cognition” to every fan through real capital and market pricing.

At present, the main hottest themes on Gate’s prediction markets are centered around four directions: 2026 World Cup champion prediction (total trading volume has already exceeded 908 million USD), sports event prediction (from the NBA to UFC—sports are the largest trading category), crypto and AI theme prediction (BTC price moves, ETF approvals, AI giant IPOs), and political and macroeconomic event prediction (Federal Reserve interest rates, geopolitical risks). Together, these themes form the core trading map of Gate’s prediction markets.

For the World Cup, Gate’s “Green Field Prophets, World Cup Betting Carnival Season” event features a total prize pool of over 500,000 USDT, full coverage of all 104 matches, three core gameplay modes (trading unlocks experience funds, betting points leaderboard, and the ultimate champion prediction pool), as well as VIP-exclusive jersey benefits and invitation rewards—creating a one-stop World Cup participation experience for users, from trading to betting.

Whether you’re a longtime football fan or a crypto trader, you can find your own way to participate in Gate’s prediction markets—replacing intuition with analysis, creating value through judgment, and joining a truly nationwide prediction carnival. Log in to the Gate App now, complete the event registration, claim your first betting voucher, and start your 2026 World Cup prediction journey!