Key Takeaways:

• Polymarket is upgrading its trading system and launching a new stablecoin, Polymarket USD.
• The update aims to make trading faster, cheaper, and simpler by removing bridged tokens.
• The platform is expanding in the US, with monthly trading volume crossing $10 billion.

Polymarket, one of the world’s largest prediction market platforms — where people trade on the outcomes of real-world events like elections and economic data using crypto or regular money — announced on 6 April 2026 a sweeping overhaul of its exchange infrastructure.

Backed by Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, Polymarket operates mainly on the Polygon blockchain. It described the development as its “biggest change to date.” The upgrade covers new smart contracts, a rebuilt trading system, and a new collateral token, all expected to roll out within two to three weeks.

Out with USDC.e, in with Polymarket USD

At the core of the upgrade is Polymarket USD, a new collateral token — a digital asset users deposit to back their trades — that will replace USDC.e, the stablecoin currently used on the platform.

USDC.e is a bridged version of Circle’s USDC (USDC) stablecoin, meaning it’s a copy of USDC, modified to work on the Polygon blockchain via bridge technology. Bridges connect different blockchains to move assets between them, but they can add extra steps, risks, and costs.

By introducing Polymarket USD, backed 1:1 by USDC, the platform aims to simplify this process, remove bridge dependency, and gain tighter control over how trades are settled.

This shift was already in motion. In February 2026, Polymarket partnered with Circle to transition toward native USDC infrastructure on Polygon. A joint press release on 5 February 2026 stated that native USDC provides a more efficient and scalable settlement system.

For most users, the migration will be automatic, requiring only a one-time approval through the platform’s interface. However, advanced traders who access Polymarket through an application programming interface (API), a tool that lets software or trading bots interact with the platform and trade on it automatically, will need to manually convert their USDC or USDC.e into Polymarket USD.

Learn More: Crypto Trading and Web3 Essentials – From On-Chain Tools to NFT Finance

Faster trades and lower costs

Alongside the new stablecoin, Polymarket is launching CTF Exchange v2, an upgraded trading system designed to improve how buy and sell orders are matched, aimed at making trading faster and more efficient.

The upgrade is also designed to reduce gas fees. In addition, it introduces support for Ethereum Improvement Proposal 1271, an Ethereum blockchain technical standard that allows smart contract wallets, like those needing multiple approvals, to connect directly to the platform, aimed at improving security for advanced users and institutions.

During the migration, all open orders across the platform will be canceled in a scheduled maintenance window. Polymarket has committed to providing users at least one week’s advance notice before that window opens.

Related: Polymarket Adds Tron Support, Giving Users More Ways to Deposit

US expansion sets the stage

The overhaul comes as Polymarket expands its presence in the United States. The platform exited the US in 2022 but received approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — the US derivatives markets regulator — in November 2025 to operate as an intermediary-managed trading platform. This cleared a path for it to onboard brokers and retail customers through regulated channels.

Platform activity has also climbed sharply, with monthly trading volume surpassing $10 billion in March 2026.

Separately, the platform’s planned POLY governance token, previously confirmed by Polymarket’s chief marketing officer, Matthew Modabber, in October 2025, was not mentioned in this announcement and still has no confirmed launch date.