• Kalshi expects to operate in over 140 countries within 18 months as part of aggressive international expansion
  • The prediction market platform anticipates announcing additional sports deals soon following strong early trading volumes
  • CEO Tarek Mansour believes prediction markets could rival traditional stock markets in significance within years

Kalshi, the regulated US-based prediction market, is preparing for rapid global expansion with plans to operate in more than 140 countries within the next 18 months, according to people familiar with the company's strategy.

The $5 billion fintech firm, which recently closed a $300 million Series D funding round, aims to dramatically scale its international presence despite facing diverse regulatory challenges across jurisdictions. The expansion comes as the company reports significant transaction volume, including over $1 billion traded on sports contracts in the first five months since launch across 3.4 million individual propositions.

"We expect to be present in a lot of countries in 18 months and plan to be aggressive with our international expansion," CEO Tarek Mansour said in recent discussions about the company's roadmap. He added that additional sports-related prediction markets would be announced soon, though specific partnerships remain undisclosed.

The company's confidence stems from its unique regulatory position as a designated contract market with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which provides greater legitimacy and broader trading limits compared to competitors. This regulatory framework has helped Kalshi attract sophisticated investors and market makers, including partnerships with firms like Susquehanna International Group.

Recent court decisions in Nevada and New Jersey have reinforced Kalshi's classification as a financial exchange rather than a sportsbook, providing legal momentum as the company prepares for international regulatory negotiations. The platform has responded to concerns about market integrity by partnering with monitoring organizations and launching consumer protection features.

Mansour's bold prediction that event contracts could rival traditional stock markets in size and significance within years reflects growing institutional engagement with the new asset class. The company's collaboration with Robinhood to power its prediction market hub has further fueled mainstream adoption.

As Kalshi expands globally, it will need to navigate varying regulatory environments while maintaining its core value proposition of offering cheaper fees and regulated alternatives to both traditional betting and conventional derivatives markets. The company's ability to secure regulatory approvals across multiple jurisdictions will be critical to achieving its ambitious 18-month timeline.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the number of individual sports propositions; the correct figure is 3.4 million.