Meta Builds Prediction Markets App Arena to Rival Polymarket and Kalshi

Mark Zuckerberg directed Meta to build a standalone prediction markets app called Arena to rival Polymarket and Kalshi, starting points-based with no real-money betting yet.

Meta Builds Prediction Markets App Arena to Rival Polymarket and Kalshi Mark Zuckerberg directed Meta to build a standalone prediction markets app called Arena to rival Polymarket and Kalshi, starting points-based with no real-money betting yet. Aaron Rafferty June 24, 2026 Key Takeaways Mark Zuckerberg directed Meta to build a standalone prediction markets app, codenamed Arena, to rival Polymarket and Kalshi, the New York Times reported. Arena will start points-based with no real-money betting, though Meta has not ruled out real-money wagering later. Prediction-market betting hit a record near $30 billion last month, up 588% from a year earlier. Meta is building a standalone prediction markets app, codenamed Arena, to compete with Polymarket and Kalshi, the New York Times reported on June 23, 2026. CEO Mark Zuckerberg ordered a small team to build it, and the company describes the effort as experimental but a top priority. Arena would sit outside Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, though those apps could funnel users to it. The first version works like a game. Users earn points for correct predictions rather than betting cash, which keeps Arena off regulated gambling rails for now. Meta has not ruled out real-money wagering later, and has not said whether Arena will ship at all, according to NYT reporters Mike Isaac and David Yaffe-Bellany. The push comes as growth inside Meta's core feeds slows and the company tests standalone experiments, including a separate AI-photos app. The prize Meta is chasing is scale. The company counts more than 3.56 billion daily users across its apps, a distribution engine no prediction-market startup can match. The timing tracks a boom, as the total value of bets on prediction-market apps hit a record near $30 billion last month, up 5