Kalshi Review 2026
CFTC-regulated event contracts on politics, economics, and culture.
Promo code NYPREDICTS — $10 for new traders. Legal in New York and all 50 US states.
Updated
New trader offerNew Traders Get $10!
Trade on anything — politics, the Fed, the Knicks. Use code NYPREDICTS at signup on Kalshi. New US customers only.
Claim $10 on Kalshi- Available in 49 US states
- 21+ · New traders only · CFTC-regulated exchange
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- D.C.
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Offer for new Kalshi traders only. 21+. Available in 49 US states (not Michigan). Credit terms set by Kalshi — we don't control payout timing or wagering requirements.
A clear-eyed look at Kalshi
Kalshi is a CFTC-regulated exchange where you can trade contracts on real-world questions — from CPI prints to who wins an election. For New Yorkers who already follow the Fed and the mayoral race, it's the closest thing to a public order book on the news cycle.
Best fit for…
- Politics
- Macro & Fed
- Culture outcomes
The NYC angle
If your group chat litigates Eric Adams, Kathy Hochul, and the next rate decision in the same week, Kalshi is where those debates get a price.
- Federally regulated event-contract exchange.
- Deep markets on elections, inflation prints, and Fed decisions.
- Clean US-friendly onboarding.
- Liquidity can be thin on niche markets.
- Eligibility and product availability vary by state and category.
Availability and eligible markets depend on your state of residence. Review Kalshi's current terms before registering.
See state-by-state availability →How we reviewed Kalshi
We test Kalshi the way a New Yorker actually would: sign up from a NY IP, verify identity, fund the account, place real trades on live markets, and track the offer through to settlement. Editorial coverage is written by Catie Di Stefano and reviewed against the platform's official terms, its US regulator (CFTC, state DFS regulators, or applicable sweepstakes framework), and independent reporting. We publish fee language only when it's verifiable on the platform's official schedule, and we flag anything that changed since our last update.
Affiliate disclosure · Last reviewed . Product terms and promo eligibility can change without notice — always confirm on the platform before depositing.
Each contract resolves Yes or No. Prices in cents represent the market's implied probability — here, a 26% chance the Knicks win Game 5. You can buy either side, and the price moves as new orders come in.
Image: Kalshi product reference. Used for editorial illustration.
How Kalshi stacks up against Polymarket for New Yorkers
| Kalshi | Polymarket | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal in New York | Yes — CFTC-regulated | Yes — US iOS app |
| Devices | iPhone, Android, desktop | iPhone only |
| New trader offer | $10 credit, no deposit minimum | $50 bonus, $20 deposit |
| Promo code | NYPREDICTS | NYPREDICTS |
| Best for | Politics, Fed, macro, NYC races | Global news, deepest liquidity |
| Settlement | USD, federally regulated | Crypto-based, abstracted in app |
Most New Yorkers we hear from end up using both — Kalshi for US politics and macro prints, Polymarket for global news liquidity. See the Polymarket review.