Creating Your Polymarket Account
Signing up on Polymarket is straightforward and takes less than ten minutes from start to first trade. This guide walks you through every step.
Before You Start
Make sure you have:
- A valid email address
- A government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, or national ID card)
- A debit card or crypto wallet with USDC (for your first deposit)
- A non-US location — Polymarket is not available for real-money trading by US residents
If you are in the United States, see our Polymarket legality guide for alternative platforms like Kalshi.
Step 1: Visit Polymarket
Go to polymarket.com in your browser. Click the Sign Up or Log In button in the top right corner.
Step 2: Choose Your Sign-Up Method
Polymarket offers two ways to create an account:
Option A: Email Sign-Up (Recommended for Beginners)
- Enter your email address
- Polymarket sends a verification code to your inbox
- Enter the code to verify your email
- Your account is created with an automatic smart contract wallet
This is the easiest method. Polymarket creates and manages a blockchain wallet for you behind the scenes. You do not need any prior crypto experience.
Option B: Wallet Connection (For Crypto Users)
- Click "Connect Wallet"
- Select your wallet provider (MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, WalletConnect, etc.)
- Approve the connection in your wallet
- Your account is linked to your existing blockchain wallet
This method is best if you already have USDC on the Polygon network and want to use your existing wallet infrastructure.
Step 3: Complete Identity Verification (KYC)
To enable deposits and trading, most users must complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification.
- Navigate to your account settings or follow the verification prompt
- Select your country of residence
- Upload a photo of your government-issued ID (front and back if applicable)
- Take a selfie for identity matching
- Wait for verification — typically completes in 2-5 minutes
KYC verification is a one-time process. Once approved, you will not need to verify again unless you change significant account details.
For details on what is required in different regions and whether you can trade without KYC, see our Polymarket KYC guide.
Step 4: Set Up Your Profile
After verification, customize your profile:
- Choose a username that will be visible to other traders
- Add a profile picture (optional)
- Review your notification settings
Step 5: Make Your First Deposit
Now that your account is verified, deposit funds to start trading. Polymarket uses USDC (a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar).
Card deposit: Click Deposit, select the card option, enter your amount and card details. Funds arrive in minutes.
Crypto deposit: Copy your Polymarket wallet address from your account settings. Send USDC on the Polygon network to this address.
For detailed deposit instructions, see our Polymarket deposit guide.
Step 6: Place Your First Trade
With funds in your account, you are ready to trade:
- Browse markets on the Polymarket homepage
- Select a market that interests you
- Choose YES or NO
- Enter the amount you want to trade
- Confirm your trade
For a complete trading tutorial, see our step-by-step Polymarket guide.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Verification email not arriving: Check your spam folder. If still missing, request a new code. Some email providers delay delivery by a few minutes.
KYC verification rejected: Ensure your ID photo is clear, well-lit, and shows all four corners. The selfie must match the ID photo. Try again with better lighting.
Card deposit declined: Some banks block crypto-related transactions. Contact your bank to approve the transaction, or try a different card. Alternatively, deposit via crypto.
Country not available: If your country is not listed during KYC, Polymarket may not be available in your region. Check our legality guide for alternatives.
What Comes Next
After setting up your account, we recommend:
- Reading our Polymarket beginner's guide for a complete walkthrough
- Learning how to read prediction market odds
- Browsing trending markets on PredMarket.io
- Starting with small trades ($5-$10) to learn the mechanics
