Key Points:
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$15M raised by The Clearing Company, led by Union Square Ventures
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Founded by former Polymarket and Kalshi team members
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Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, and Variant are among the major backers
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Competing directly with Polymarket and Kalshi in the on-chain, regulated prediction space
$15M new prediction market platform is being launched by former Polymarket and Kalshi executives under the name The Clearing Company.
This startup has secured a $15 million seed round led by Union Square Ventures, with participation from Haun Ventures, Variant, Coinbase Ventures, and several other investors.
The Clearing Company aims to build a prediction platform that is fully on-chain, permissionless, and compliant with regulations. Its core goal is to establish an open, secure marketplace where users bet on real-world events like elections or sports outcomes.
Toni Gemayel, an ex-Polymarket executive who also held a leadership role at Kalshi, is serving as the CEO. The company’s team is stacked with individuals experienced in building regulated and crypto-native prediction markets.
Major investors bet big on prediction platform innovation
The presence of Coinbase Ventures, Haun Ventures, and Variant signals growing institutional confidence in crypto-aligned event prediction tools. Coinbase itself has expressed plans to expand into prediction markets. This reflects a broader industry shift toward making financial tools more interactive and outcome-oriented.
Haun Ventures and Variant bring both capital and strategic alignment to the table. These firms have a track record of backing crypto infrastructure projects that scale. Their support suggests that The Clearing Company is viewed as a serious contender against incumbents like Polymarket and Kalshi.
Polymarket recently saw 286,000 active traders in July, a strong rebound after a six-month decline. Meanwhile, Kalshi is gaining traction with new hires and partnerships, including Robinhood and crypto influencer John Wang. The space is heating up rapidly.
The Clearing Company enters a crowded field with deep expertise
The Clearing Company is not just another entrant. It has a seasoned team with direct experience from inside the top players. This includes several ex-Polymarket employees and leadership with regulatory experience from Kalshi. That operational history is critical in a sector where compliance, speed, and trust determine adoption.
Gemayel’s dual background is especially valuable. From my standpoint, few executives understand both user acquisition and regulatory nuance in this space like he does. His role signals a practical approach to scaling a legally sound, crypto-native prediction platform.
With rising scrutiny around crypto products, having a structure that is both on-chain and legally approved could set The Clearing Company apart.
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Crypto prediction markets draw institutional and public attention
Platforms enabling bets on political or financial outcomes are growing fast. Polymarket drew attention when Donald Trump Jr. joined its advisory board and invested in the company. He previously advised Kalshi as well.
Kalshi’s partnership with Robinhood is designed to bring sports betting to broader audiences. These moves show how mainstream financial apps are increasingly intersecting with blockchain-based prediction markets.
But challenges remain. Vitalik Buterin criticized major prediction platforms for not offering interest-bearing markets. According to him, this limits their appeal as hedging tools. His feedback underscores the room for innovation.
$15M new prediction market platform enters with funding and firepower
By raising $15M from top crypto VCs and assembling a team of ex-Polymarket professionals, The Clearing Company positions itself as a formidable player. It’s not launching with hype, but with structure, capital, and a regulatory mindset.
Additional investors include Compound, Rubik, Cursor Capital, Asylum, and individuals like Soleio, Furqan Rydhan, and Bill Lee. These names reflect an ecosystem of crypto builders rallying around new ideas.
The Clearing Company will need to prove product-market fit quickly. But its backers are betting big on a future where people want to stake money on real-world outcomes within secure, open protocols.