Polymarket Taps Trump Jr for Advisory Board in Bold U.S. Comeback Bid

Polymarket just made its most politically-charged move yet—bringing Donald Trump Jr. onto its advisory board as the prediction market platform eyes a controversial return to the U.S. market.

Strategic Gambit or Pure Spectacle?

The platform, known for letting users bet on everything from election outcomes to crypto trends, is clearly betting on high-profile influence to sway regulators and public perception. Trump Jr.—a vocal crypto advocate and political lightning rod—adds firepower and friction in equal measure.

No specifics on equity or compensation were disclosed—classic 'advisory role' theater. But the timing isn’t subtle: Polymarket’s pushing hard to re-enter the U.S. after earlier regulatory clashes.

Will political clout open doors the SEC kept closed? Or is this just another case of crypto meets Capitol Hill—where names matter more than nuance? Either way, it’s a headline-ready play in an industry that loves rolling the dice.

Why did Polymarket exit the U.S?

Polymarket, launched in 2020, grew quickly into one of the largest prediction markets globally. But in 2022, the company ran into regulatory hurdles in the United States when the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) charged it over unregistered event contracts.

The case resulted in a $1.4 million penalty and mandatory restrictions blocking American users, forcing the platform to operate primarily outside the U.S. since then.

Later, the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into Polymarket over suspected foul play related to 2024 presidential election predictions. The probe included a raid on CEO Shayne Coplan’s home by the FBI, investigating whether the platform knowingly allowed illegal trading despite the U.S. ban.

However, in July 2025, both the CFTC and DOJ closed their investigations into the platform. Authorities found no evidence of wrongdoing, dropping the probe and further clearing the path for a potential return.

For now, Polymarket has yet to officially announce a U.S. re-entry, and the timeline for when it might do so remains unclear.