sandmark.com
Polymarket is overhauling its core infrastructure, rolling out a proprietary token linked to Circle's $USDC and other features in what the prediction market described as its most significant technical upgrade since launch.
The infrastructure overhaul comes as Polymarket moves to refine its business model. In March, the platform introduced taker fees across key markets, marking a
departure from its earlier zero-fee structure and aligning more closely with
conventional exchange dynamics where trading activity funds liquidity provision.
The changes signal that the platform is moving beyond its growth phase toward a more standardized model. Polymarket is adding tighter control over settlements, execution and revenue mechanics as competition in prediction markets intensifies. Last week, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, said that the bank is exploring working in the prediction market space. Crypto venture firm Paradigm is creating its own prediction market for professional traders.
Deepening partnership with Circle
The changes, due to be implemented over the next two to three weeks, will replace the platform's existing order book and contract architecture. It is also shifting its collateral token from $USDC.e to Polymarket USD, which is one-to-one backed by $USDC. The operator said the upgrade is designed to improve execution speed, reduce costs and provide a cleaner base for future development.
The move follows a February partnership with Circle to migrate trading collateral to native $USDC, part of a broader effort to standardise dollar settlement on the platform as activity and institutional interest grow. The changes point to a steady reworking of Polymarket's underlying financial rails rather than a single isolated update.
Execution overhaul resets trading layer
At the execution layer, the new exchange contracts optimize order structures and matching logic while adding support for contract-based signatures and more efficient fee handling. Polymarket is also rebuilding its central limit order book, and all open orders will be cancelled during a short maintenance window ahead of the transition.
For users, the shift to Polymarket USD is going to be on the surface as all existing $USDC.e will be automatically converted. More active traders and API participants will need to update client software and re-sign orders to align them with the new system.