Crypto.com just launched OG, a standalone prediction markets platform aimed squarely at the U.S. market.
If your first reaction was “is this just gambling with a new name?” or “haven’t prediction markets been around forever?”, well, those are fair questions. The interesting part here isn’t that prediction markets exist. It’s how Crypto.com is positioning OG, and where it fits in the broader crypto → TradFi convergence.
Let’s break it down without the hype.
As explained on the official OG website, OG is a CFTC-regulated prediction markets app backed by Crypto.com’s U.S. derivatives arm (CDNA).
Instead of betting against a house, users trade event contracts whose prices reflect crowd consensus about real-world outcomes.
What's interesting about OG is that Crypto.com hasn't just added a feature to its main app. Instead, it's created a standalone platform, with its own branding, leadership, and roadmap.
Let's dive into some likely reasons for this.
Three structural differences about OG are:
OG isn’t just a trading interface. It includes a social layer that encompasses:
This mirrors what we’ve seen elsewhere and the intention is clearly to boost engagement and liquidity.
OG isn’t ideal for people looking for passive investing or anyone uncomfortable with short-term risk
It is more likely designed for sports fans who already think in odds and traders who enjoy expressing views, not just holding assets.
OG isn’t revolutionary, but it does offer a clean, regulated, consumer-friendly bridge between crypto infrastructure and mainstream market behavior. It's best thought of as a new way to trade what people think will happen next.
Sometimes, that’s the most interesting kind of launch!
If your first reaction was “is this just gambling with a new name?” or “haven’t prediction markets been around forever?”, well, those are fair questions. The interesting part here isn’t that prediction markets exist. It’s how Crypto.com is positioning OG, and where it fits in the broader crypto → TradFi convergence.
Let’s break it down without the hype.
What Is OG?
As explained on the official OG website, OG is a CFTC-regulated prediction markets app backed by Crypto.com’s U.S. derivatives arm (CDNA).
Instead of betting against a house, users trade event contracts whose prices reflect crowd consensus about real-world outcomes.
Things like:
Prices move based on supply and demand; if the crowd thinks something is likely, the contract price rises. If sentiment shifts, prices adjust in real time. In other words, OG lets you trade probabilities, not odds.
- Sports outcomes (Super Bowl, March Madness)
- Financial events (rates, macro indicators)
- Politics, culture, entertainment
Prices move based on supply and demand; if the crowd thinks something is likely, the contract price rises. If sentiment shifts, prices adjust in real time. In other words, OG lets you trade probabilities, not odds.
Why Has Crypto.com Spun This Out Into a Separate App?
What's interesting about OG is that Crypto.com hasn't just added a feature to its main app. Instead, it's created a standalone platform, with its own branding, leadership, and roadmap.
Let's dive into some likely reasons for this.
Regulatory Containment
Prediction markets sit in a sensitive regulatory zone. Isolating OG probably helps reduce spillover risk to the main Crypto.com app.
Different audience
OG isn’t just for crypto traders. It’s targeting sports fans, market junkies, and people who already think in probabilities.
Long-term ambition
Crypto.com isn't testing the waters; they’re building infrastructure. According to the official OG X account, Crypto.com reports 40× weekly growth in its existing prediction market products, easily enough to justify a dedicated platform.
CFTC Regulation (Yes, Really)
Most prediction markets historically lived offshore or in legal gray areas. But OG is built on Crypto.com's Derivatives North America, a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse. So it's Federally regulated, available in all 50 U.S. states, and offers real compliance, not “VPN optional”.What Makes OG Different From “Just Betting”
Three structural differences about OG are:
1. Market-driven pricing
There’s no house setting odds. Prices are set by participants.2. Broader event scope
This isn’t just sports. It’s anything that can be clearly resolved as true/false.3. Planned margin trading
OG plans to offer margin on prediction contracts. If this is approved, it would make OG the first platform to do so in the U.S.Why Does OG Include a Social Layer?
OG isn’t just a trading interface. It includes a social layer that encompasses:
- Leaderboards
- Public positioning
- Chat and social interaction
This mirrors what we’ve seen elsewhere and the intention is clearly to boost engagement and liquidity.
Who Is OG Actually For?
OG isn’t ideal for people looking for passive investing or anyone uncomfortable with short-term risk
It is more likely designed for sports fans who already think in odds and traders who enjoy expressing views, not just holding assets.
Final Take
OG isn’t revolutionary, but it does offer a clean, regulated, consumer-friendly bridge between crypto infrastructure and mainstream market behavior. It's best thought of as a new way to trade what people think will happen next.
Sometimes, that’s the most interesting kind of launch!
Follow OG's official X account and read more on the official OG website here.
Tags
Prediction markets