Kalshi was launched in July 2019 as the first CFTC-regulated exchange dedicated to trading on the outcomes of future events, providing a unique marketplace where traders can speculate on a wide range of real-world events from economic indicators like inflation and fed rates to other binary outcomes. The platform allows both retail and institutional traders to buy and sell event contracts structured around yes-or-no questions, with the resolution of these events serving as the underlying value of the contracts rather than any traditional asset price.
Operating under a binary options marketplace model, Kalshi differentiates itself from conventional bookmakers by having no stake in event outcomes and relying solely on transaction fees generated from trades. Its fee model includes a variable transaction fee based on expected earnings from contracts and incentivizes liquidity by charging fees only on market taker orders while providing fee rebates to market makers.
The platform supports low entry points with deposits as small as $1 and offers interest on idle cash balances, fostering accessibility and user engagement. Its business benefits from scale economics, given the significant fixed costs in regulatory compliance and infrastructure, but near-zero marginal costs on additional trading volume.
Kalshi’s regulatory approval by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) enables it to operate across the United States without the complex state-by-state licensing hurdles faced by traditional betting operators, enhancing its strategic market position.
The exchange has tailored some markets, such as those on the S&P and Nasdaq, with adjusted fee structures to further accessibility and trading volume. Withdrawal from the platform incurs a $2 fee, with no additional charges for settlement, wire transfers, membership, or ACH services. Kalshi restricts margin and leverage trading, limiting user losses on trades to the cost of purchased contracts, capped at $25,000.