Cryptocurrency titans Coinbase and Polymarket named among TIME's top 100 most impactful companies in 2025.
In the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, two platforms, Polymarket and Coinbase, are making significant strides, transforming the landscape and capturing the attention of both investors and regulators.
Polymarket, a decentralised event prediction market platform, has recently secured a $200 million funding round at a valuation of over $1 billion, solidifying its status as a "unicorn" company[1][3]. This milestone, coupled with a daily average trading volume of $40 million and record activity such as $2.6 billion in trading during the 2024 U.S. election[1], underscores Polymarket's rapid expansion.
The platform, which allows users to speculate on real-world events by buying shares in the likelihood of specific outcomes, all powered by blockchain, has attracted both retail and institutional investors due to its decentralised, non-custodial betting model that offers open, data-driven odds[1]. Polymarket's future potential is further bolstered by strategic partnerships, including a collaboration with Elon Musk’s xAI to integrate its markets with the AI chatbot Grok, enhancing user engagement and analytic capabilities[1][3].
However, Polymarket faces regulatory challenges, particularly in the U.S. where a 2022 CFTC settlement effectively barred American users from the platform. To navigate these challenges, Polymarket has engaged ex-CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo as a consultant to help with compliance measures[1].
Meanwhile, Coinbase, one of the first large crypto players to obtain a digital asset license from Luxembourg's Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), is expanding its operations in Europe[2]. With this license, Coinbase aims to handle its European user base from its new Luxembourg headquarters and provide compliance across the continent[2]. This move signifies Coinbase's shift from a trading platform to a comprehensive crypto infrastructure provider, including ambitions to enter tokenized equities and compete with fintech brokers like Robinhood[2].
The recognition of both Coinbase and Polymarket by TIME underscores the growing institutional and political relevance of blockchain-based platforms[1][4]. Polymarket's inclusion in TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025 signifies the transformative impact of the platform on how people predict and bet on future events, especially given its role in political and economic forecasting markets during critical periods like U.S. elections[1]. Coinbase, on the other hand, has been recognised as a "Disruptor" in 2025, highlighting its political clout and global expansion in the digital asset policy sphere[4].
As the crypto industry continues to grow and mature, its real-world implications are becoming increasingly apparent, affecting not just markets, but policymaking and public conversation at scale[5]. The $200M fundraising and $1B+ valuation of Polymarket, and Coinbase's potential entry into tokenized equities, underscore rising mainstream interest in crypto-powered event prediction markets and retail investing, respectively.
In conclusion, both Polymarket and Coinbase are at pivotal stages, navigating regulatory challenges, forging strategic partnerships, and expanding their influence. Their growth and recognition by TIME signify crypto's shift from a speculative asset class to a structural layer reshaping global systems, with potentially dramatic developments on the horizon.
[1] https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/01/01/polymarket-raises-200m-led-by-founders-fund-takes-valuation-over-1b/ [2] https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/04/01/coinbase-obtains-digital-asset-license-from-luxembourgs-cssf/ [3] https://www.polymarket.io/ [4] https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-companies-of-2025/ [5] https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2022/09/22/the-crypto-industry-is-now-affecting-not-just-markets-but-policymaking-and-public-conversation-at-scale/
- The decentralized event prediction market platform, Polymarket, is revolutionizing finance by transforming trading in crypto, utilizing blockchain technology to offer a non-custodial betting model.
- Coinbase, being one of the first crypto players, is intensifying its presence in the European market, obtaining a digital asset license from the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) of Luxembourg.
- Polymarket's expansion and strategic partnerships, such as with Elon Musk’s xAI, have earned it a spot on TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025, signifying its impact on event prediction markets and political forecasting.
- As Coinbase expands its infrastructure to cater to tokenized equities and fintech brokers like Robinhood, it solidifies its position as a disruptor in the global digital asset policy sphere.
