Legality · lesson 02 of 02
Is Kalshi legal? Registration, eligibility and contract rules
How to separate federal exchange registration from your own eligibility to trade a particular contract.
In one minute
- The CFTC’s filing record for Kalshi lists it as a designated contract market, with an order dated 3 November 2020.
- First, is the exchange registered?
- Identify your actual location, residence and the contract category.
What the registration record establishes
The CFTC’s filing record for Kalshi lists it as a designated contract market, with an order dated 3 November 2020. The CFTC announcement explains that designation brings obligations under the Commodity Exchange Act and applicable Commission regulations. Sources checked 15 September 2026.
That answers a question about the exchange’s regulatory status. It is not a personalised legal determination, a guarantee of returns or a statement that every reader can access every contract.
A $100 position at 68¢
- Contracts bought at 68¢
- 147
- Payout if it resolves YES
- $147
- Profit before fees
- $47
- Loss if it resolves NO
- $100
Separate three questions
First, is the exchange registered? Check the regulator’s record and the exact legal entity. Second, does the platform permit your account to trade the product? Read its current eligibility rules, including residence, age and any account restrictions. Third, what rules apply to the particular contract in your jurisdiction? A broad label such as “prediction markets” is not a complete answer.
Do not infer personal eligibility from the fact that a website opens, an app is downloadable or another person has an account. An availability badge is a summary of recorded research, not authorisation from an operator or regulator.
Check the location and the product
Identify your actual location, residence and the contract category. Consult the exchange’s current terms and your state or national regulator’s notices. Where a court order or regulatory action affects access, read its date and scope rather than assuming it applies to every product in the same way.
This guide does not maintain a current state-by-state legal verdict. If the answer matters to a planned transaction and the sources conflict, obtain advice from a qualified professional in the relevant jurisdiction.
Read settlement rules as well as eligibility
Being eligible to trade does not make the outcome wording unimportant. Read the event definition, deadline, settlement source and exceptional-outcome rules before placing an order. Registration does not remove the possibility of losing the amount paid for a contract.
Use the Kalshi platform review for our recorded research, the settlement guide for the mechanics, and the contract comparison checklist for differences that a market title can hide.
Converting to odds you already know
| Contract price | Implied probability | Decimal | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10¢ | 10% | 10.00 | +900 |
| 25¢ | 25% | 4.00 | +300 |
| 50¢ | 50% | 2.00 | +100 |
| 68¢ | 68% | 1.47 | −213 |
| 80¢ | 80% | 1.25 | −400 |
| 95¢ | 95% | 1.05 | −1900 |
See it live on Kalshi
CFTC-regulated event contract exchange
Common questions
Does CFTC designation establish that I can trade every contract?+
No. The designation record concerns the exchange. Your eligibility and the rules affecting a specific product require separate checks.
Does this guide give a current legal verdict for every US state?+
No. It explains the checks to make and links to the federal registration record; it does not maintain a state-by-state determination.
Does registration guarantee my capital?+
No. A contract can settle against your position. Read the product’s risk disclosures and settlement rules.