Polymarket acquires crypto startup Brahma to streamline deposits and payouts

Polymarket acquired crypto payments startup Brahma, a deal announced on March 18 with terms undisclosed. The prediction market operator expects the purchase to improve liquidity in smaller markets and simplify the user experience.

The company plans to integrate Brahma’s on-chain trading and payments tools to make it easier to place and settle wagers in thinly traded contracts. Limited liquidity can increase trading costs through slippage when opening or closing positions, a common issue in niche markets. At the same time, the platform’s rapid growth is intensifying debate over whether is Polymarket legit as trading volumes and public attention rise.

According to Brahma co-founder Alessandro Tenconi, the integration can reduce friction when “creating a wallet, depositing and converting shares, and redeeming outcome tokens.”

Founded in 2021, Brahma builds software that connects crypto wallets with decentralized exchanges and says it has processed more than $1 billion in transactions. Its tools focus on decentralized finance activity and high-frequency trading.

Polymarket lists contracts on a wide range of real-world events, but volume often concentrates on major topics such as national elections and championship games. Smaller markets tend to attract fewer market makers and participants, which can result in wider bid-ask spreads and larger price impact for orders. Earlier this month, Polymarket brought in Palantir to monitor trades and detect manipulation across its sports prediction markets.

Brahma’s recent projects include work with Euler Labs on Swype.fun, a credit card aimed at enabling in-store purchases with crypto without selling the underlying assets, using collateral to fund payments.