Polymarket surge: October volume ATHs behind POLY airdrop rumors

Polymarket surge in October coincided with a POLY token airdrop announcement, U.S. re-entry plans and reports of a potential $15B valuation that together drove a sharp uptick in users and turnover.

What sparked the rise in Polymarket active traders?

POLY token airdrop details

The POLY token announcement and airdrop were cited as a key trigger. October activity pushed monthly figures to roughly 477,000 active traders and more than $3 billion traded, according to reporting on the Crypto.news article.

U.S. re-entry plans and market attention

Plans to re-enter the U.S. market amplified publicity and onboarding, attracting retail and professional flows that buoyed new market creation.

How did the POLY token airdrop affect Polymarket liquidity providers and trading?

Effects on liquidity and market-making

Incentives from airdrops often encourage liquidity providers to seed markets; that appears to have elevated depth and narrowed spreads temporarily. Institutional market makers may still wait for regulatory clarity before committing long-term capital.

Polymarket funding valuation and investor signals

Press coverage linked the spike to fundraising chatter valuing Polymarket at as much as $15B, which can alter risk-return calculations for liquidity providers and VCs.

Note: Valuation estimates and short-term volume spikes should be treated as preliminary until confirmed by filings or audited data.

How does Kalshi trading volume compare and what does it mean for valuation?

Kalshi reported roughly $4.4 billion in October trading activity, offering a regulated benchmark for event-driven platforms and fresh VC interest, per industry reporting and market commentary.

In brief, sustained user retention and regulatory progress on U.S. re-entry will determine whether October’s momentum converts to a lasting increase in platform value and a higher realised funding valuation.