World Cup 2026 drives $20B in crypto prediction bets

Homepage > News > Business > World Cup 2026 drives $20B in crypto prediction bets The 2026 FIFA World Cup generated $20 billion in prediction market volume and $24 million in digital collectible trades, with only 1% linked to illicit sources, according to a new report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. World Cup fuels record on-chain activity FIFA Collect rides World Cup frenzy Chainalysis report warns illicit finance persists Infantino sparks fresh FIFA controversy Chainalysis published a report titled “The 2026 World Cup On-Chain,” in which it identified this year’s FIFA World Cup as “one of the biggest-ever sporting events as measured by on-chain activity.” Specifically, it found that the tournament generated $20 billion in prediction market volume from January 2026 onward and $24 million in collectible trading volume since May 2025, with over 400,000 wallets participating in blockchain-based betting throughout the tournament, generating $5.7 billion in trading volume. Depending on how one feels about the ethics of sports betting and prediction markets—the latter of which has made some bad headlines of late—these stats represent a win for blockchain activity, an...