Polymarket guide
How to Sign Up for Polymarket
A step-by-step guide to opening a Polymarket account in 2026 — eligibility, what you need, verification and placing your first trade.
Signing up for Polymarket in brief
Polymarket's core exchange has no email-and-password sign-up at all: your crypto wallet is your account. Access is geoblocked in a number of countries, so confirm availability where you live, and line up some USDC on the Polygon network before you start rather than after.
Before you start
You must be an adult (18+), and access depends on your country — Polymarket restricts a number of jurisdictions, so check it is available where you live. Practically, you also need a compatible crypto wallet and some USDC ready before you begin.
How to sign up for Polymarket, step by step
Set up a crypto wallet
Install a wallet Polymarket supports and store your recovery phrase safely offline.
Connect it to Polymarket
Open Polymarket and connect the wallet — this becomes your account, with no email-and-password sign-up.
Fund with USDC on the right network
Move USDC to your wallet on the network Polymarket uses, keeping a little spare for network fees.
Place a first trade
Buy a small number of Yes or No shares to see how pricing and settlement work before sizing up.
Once you are in, the Polymarket deposit guide covers funding in detail.
After you sign up
Because your wallet is your account, keep it secure — anyone with the recovery phrase controls your funds. Start small while you learn how Polymarket prices and settles, and read the buy-USDC guide if getting the stablecoin is the sticking point.
Eligibility, verification and features vary by US state and country and can change; confirm current requirements on Polymarket. 18+. Trading involves risk of loss.
Frequently asked questions
How do I sign up for Polymarket?
Connect a compatible crypto wallet to Polymarket, fund it with USDC on the correct network, and place a small first trade — the wallet is your account.
What do I need to open a Polymarket account?
An adult age (18+), eligibility in your country, a compatible crypto wallet and some USDC on the right network.
Is Polymarket available where I live?
Availability varies by US state and by country and can change. Check Polymarket directly for your location, and see our state-by-state and international guides for the wider picture before signing up.
Ready to make your first informed trade?
Compare the top regulated platforms side by side, or start with the fundamentals. Independent reviews, no paid placement, updated for 2026.
Independent · No platform pays for placement · 18+ only