Donald Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital invests millions in Polymarket
A strategic VC move positions Polymarket for US return amid evolving regulatory clarity, according to Axios
Donald Trump Jr. | Consolidated News Photos/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks
This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor Jeffrey Albus before publication.
Donald Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm, 1789 Capital, has made a significant investment “in the tens of millions of dollars” into Polymarket, according to initial reporting by Axios.
The investment aligns with both growing regulatory clarity and expectations that the market for event-based trading may legally reopen to US users. Trump Jr., who joined 1789 Capital as a partner in late 2024, is also set to join Polymarket’s advisory board — even while maintaining a strategic advising role at its rival, Kalshi.
Trump Jr. is not an investment committee member at 1789 Capital, limiting his direct role in allocation decisions.
Polymarket, founded in 2020 by Shayne Coplan, is a cryptocurrency-based prediction market platform that allows users to trade on outcomes of real-world events using USDC on the Polygon blockchain. The company barred US users in 2022 following enforcement actions and a settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The July 2025 closure of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and CFTC investigations into Polymarket without new charges cleared a major hurdle for its US return. Soon after, the firm acquired QCEX, a CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange, for $112 million. The acquisition, Polymarket said in a separate statement, paves the way for a regulated re-entry into the US market.
In announcing the deal, Coplan said 1789 Capital’s stake would help reinforce Polymarket’s position as a “trusted source of free, transparent and accurate market information.” Trump Jr. added that prediction markets “cut through media spin and so-called ‘expert’ opinion” by letting people bet on their actual expectations of world events. Omeed Malik, 1789 Capital’s founder, described Polymarket as standing “at the intersection of free expression and financial innovation.”
Alongside the investment, Polymarket highlighted a recent partnership with X (formerly Twitter) as its official prediction market partner, as well as significant platform growth. The company said users made roughly $6 billion in predictions during the first half of 2025 alone.
Trump Jr.’s position on both Polymarket and Kalshi further underscores his growing influence in the prediction‑market space, especially as pro sports leagues such as the NFL have raised concerns about the implications of betting platforms.
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