#PolymarketPlansNativeStablecoin

Polymarket is about to undergo the most significant infrastructure overhaul in its history, and the centerpiece is a native stablecoin called Polymarket USD, pegged 1:1 to Circle's USDC. This replaces the bridged USDC.e token that has been running on Polygon since the platform launched, eliminating a layer of third-party bridge dependency that has long sat quietly beneath every trade.

The rebuild goes beyond just the collateral layer. Polymarket is completely reconstructing its core matching engine through a new CTF Exchange V2 smart contract system, updating its central limit order book, and adding EIP-1271 signature support so that smart contract wallets can interact natively with the platform for the first time. That last point matters more than it sounds: it means institutional-grade custody solutions can finally plug in without workarounds.

Timing is deliberate. Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, recently put $600 million directly into Polymarket, and this infrastructure push looks like the company getting its house in order to justify that valuation. Competition in on-chain prediction markets is intensifying, and controlling your own collateral rather than depending on a bridged token is a meaningful moat to build.

A governance token called POLY has also been confirmed, though no launch date has been announced yet.

The full upgrade is expected to go live within 2 to 3 weeks from announcement, with Polymarket committing to give at least one week's advance notice before the cutover. Existing liquidity providers will need to re-sign orders using the new data structure, so the transition is not entirely frictionless for active participants.

This is prediction markets growing up in real time.