Binance.US Plans August CFTC Bid to Run Prediction Markets

Binance.US will apply to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in August for a license to run its own prediction market, chief executive Stephen Gregory said on July 29.

The application would place the biggest brand in crypto inside the fastest-growing product in American betting. Robinhood alone booked $156 million in event contract revenue in the second quarter of 2026, more than 10 times its figure a year earlier, according to its earnings release.

Gregory Targets a Federal Exchange License

Gregory made the remarks on stage at the Rare Evo blockchain conference in Las Vegas, in a session with journalist Eleanor Terrett, who reported them.

A designated contract market is the CFTC's registration for a full exchange. It lets the holder list futures, options and event contracts under federal oversight. Winning one would let Binance.US sell contracts directly rather than through a partner's license.

Fanatics took the same route in July, buying a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse rather than renting access to one. Kalshi, Polymarket and Gemini already hold their own licenses.

Gregory has run the exchange since March 9, 2026, according to Binance.US. He took charge of a platform still rebuilding from its parent company's U.S. criminal case. Binance Holdings pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering charges in November 2023 and paid more than $4 billion in penalties.

States Contest the CFTC's Reach

Federal approval would not settle the legal question. Attorneys general from 44 states wrote to the CFTC on July 28, arguing the agency has no authority over sports event contracts. The letter landed as the comment period on the commission's first prediction-market rule closed.

The courts have not resolved it either. A Washington judge granted the state a preliminary injunction against Kalshi in July, rejecting the federal-preemption defense the industry relies on nationwide.

Gregory gave no launch date for any contract. The next marker is the filing itself, which he said Binance.US will submit in August 2026.