Polymarket Plans Long Term Expansion Into Japan

Polymarket Sets Sights on Japan

Polymarket is preparing a long-term push into Japan, with the prediction market platform targeting government approval to operate in the country by 2030. According to Bloomberg, Polymarket has appointed a representative in Japan and is preparing to lobby for the authorization of prediction markets in the country. The company sees Japan as a large untapped business opportunity.

Mike Eidlin is leading Polymarket's Japan efforts, according to people familiar with the matter. Eidlin has previously worked as head of Japan at crypto firm Jupiter.

A Challenging Regulatory Landscape

Entering Japan will not be straightforward. Japan has one of the world's strictest and most mature crypto regulatory frameworks, and prediction markets fall into an unaddressed grey area. Prediction markets are not specifically addressed by any existing framework in the country.

Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) has not issued specific guidance on prediction markets, and has instead focused on reclassifying crypto assets from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. That broader reform adds another layer of complexity for a platform seeking a clear regulatory path.

The Japan push is part of a wider global expansion strategy for Polymarket. The platform has already secured a significant regulatory milestone in the United States, completing its regulated return to the U.S. market in November 2025 through the QCEX acquisition, and relaunching in December 2025 under stricter compliance requirements including mandatory KYC and regulated intermediaries.

Japan represents a meaningful prize if Polymarket can navigate its regulatory hurdles. Global users placed $6 billion in trades on Polymarket in the first half of 2025 alone. With a 2030 timeline, the company appears to be taking a measured approach, acknowledging that winning over Japanese regulators will require sustained lobbying rather than a quick market entry.

Sources:
Bloomberg: Polymarket Is Said to Seek Japan Market Approval in Global Push
The Japan Times: Polymarket is said to seek Japan market approval in global push