Opinion Raises $20M as Prediction Markets Gain Ground Despite Weak Crypto Funding

Prediction markets draw capital as on-chain platforms grow and U.S. policy shifts ease limits on event trading.

Even with a weak overall display of financial products, select crypto segments have continued to see steady capital inflows. With growing demand for event-based trading, prediction markets have emerged as a key area of increased funding. And the latest funding round by Opinion, a decentralized prediction-market platform, reflects this silent but growing shift in the cryptosphere.

Opinion Funding Signals Continued Investor Interest in Prediction Markets

In a Wednesday release, Opinion disclosed that it has raised $20 million in a pre-Series A round. As revealed in the announcement, Hack VC and Jump Crypto took part in the investment round. Other investors include Primitive Ventures and Decasonic. Interestingly, the deal comes at a time when many crypto startups are struggling to secure capital.

Moving away from centralized platforms such as Kalshi, Opinion runs fully on-chain settlement. Markets are resolved directly through blockchain infrastructure rather than through internal systems. The company says this structure improves trust and keeps operations open to public review.

Opinion claims to handle roughly one-third of global prediction-market trading volume. Based on figures cited from Dune Analytics, open interest on the platform stands above $130 million. 

According to Binance Research, the total prediction-market trading volume reached about $7 billion in December of last year. Notably, this high figure indicates stronger demand during periods of political and regulatory uncertainty.

Prediction Markets Broaden Reach as U.S. Regulators Rethink Restrictions

Prediction markets have grown from a small niche sector to encompass a broader range of options. Users can now wager on sports betting, economic data, policy decisions, and global events. U.S. bank Citizens has described the space as an emerging asset class, with monthly trading volumes nearing $10 billion as use cases widen.

Opinion claims to set itself apart by spreading activity across several market types:

• Macroeconomic indicators such as inflation data and rate decisions.
• Pre-token generation events tied to early-stage crypto projects.
• Cultural and media-driven outcomes beyond traditional betting.
• Geopolitical and global risk events are tracked in real time.

Founder and CEO Forrest Liu said the funding will support regional expansion and global growth. He mentioned that plans include preparing for higher trading volumes around the 2026 World Cup and even upcoming election cycles.

Analysts believe that the recent regulatory shifts may also support industry expansion. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael Selig said the agency has withdrawn a prior proposal aimed at banning sports and political event contracts. The proposal had been introduced during the Biden administration ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Trading activity has climbed since the agency lost a 2024 legal challenge related to such markets. Selig said new rules are being developed for the multi-billion-dollar industry, allowing users to trade on a wide range of future outcomes.

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