Wash Trading

Kalshi says it has not been contacted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and does not believe it is facing a formal examination over trading activity. The prediction market attributes unusual patterns in its ether perpetual market to liquidity incentives, while attention grows around volume quality and surveillance in prediction markets.

Kalshi is facing scrutiny after a trader alleged that unusual activity in its ether perpetual futures pointed to inflated crypto volume. The company’s crypto lead rejected the wash trading claims, arguing that critics misunderstood its market structure, fee filings and volume reporting conventions.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has cautioned prediction market platforms that some incentive programs may create compliance and market abuse risks. The warning targets deficient filings, volume based rewards and market maker arrangements that could encourage improper trading behavior.