CNN signs exclusive! Kalshi prediction market raises $1 billion, valuation doubles to over $11 billion

US-compliant prediction market Kalshi has announced an exclusive partnership with CNN, becoming the media outlet’s official prediction market partner. CNN will integrate Kalshi’s real-time event probabilities into news programs, digital platforms, and social content to interpret future trends, signaling that prediction markets have officially become one of the information sources for mainstream media. At the same time, Kalshi has just completed a $1 billion Series E funding round, doubling its valuation to $11 billion.

CNN and Kalshi’s Exclusive Agreement Redefines News Narratives

(Source: X)

Through this collaboration, CNN will have API access to real-time prediction market data from Kalshi, covering a wide range of events including politics, culture, news, and weather. Kalshi co-founder and CEO Tarek Mansour pointed out that while traditional news focuses on describing what has already happened, prediction market data can fill the knowledge gap about the “future.”

This partnership is an exclusive agreement: CNN does not need to pay for licensing, but also cannot collaborate with other prediction markets, highlighting Kalshi’s ambition and drive to enter the media space. This exclusivity is a major strategic win for Kalshi, as it effectively excludes competitors like Polymarket from CNN’s reporting ecosystem. For CNN, while it loses the flexibility to work with other prediction markets, it gains the unique value of Kalshi as the only fully compliant US prediction market.

Such collaboration models between media and tech platforms are uncommon. Typically, media outlets diversify their data sources to avoid overreliance on a single provider. But CNN’s choice to sign an exclusive agreement with Kalshi demonstrates a high degree of trust in the quality and compliance of Kalshi’s data. From a business perspective, this exclusivity could pave the way for future revenue sharing or joint product development.

Official statements emphasize that Kalshi can accurately predict results shortly after election polls close, and this real-time accuracy is a key reason for CNN’s choice. During the 2024 US presidential election, Kalshi and other prediction markets significantly outperformed traditional polls in prediction accuracy, earning prediction markets respect from mainstream media.

Harry Enten to Lead Full Integration, Ticker Launch Coming Soon

This integration will be led by CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten, who will incorporate prediction market trends into TV programs, the CNN+ subscription streaming service, and social platforms. Enten is known at CNN for his data-driven analysis style, frequently using charts and statistical models to interpret political and social trends. Adding Kalshi’s prediction market data to his toolkit will significantly enhance the forward-looking aspect of CNN’s reporting.

CNN will also launch a Kalshi-powered “real-time prediction ticker,” and provide Kalshi’s real-time data to the entire news editing team for use in graphics, fact-checking, and trend analysis. This deep integration means Kalshi’s data will not only appear in specialized analysis programs but also in daily news, breaking news coverage, and commentary shows.

The launch of the real-time prediction ticker is especially noteworthy. This visual display will allow viewers to see market expectations for future events while watching the news. For example, during Federal Reserve policy meeting coverage, the ticker might show “Rate cut probability: 89%”; during geopolitical crisis coverage, “Conflict escalation probability: 34%.” This way of presenting information will fundamentally change how audiences understand the news, extending from “what happened” to “what might happen.”

Four Key Areas of Kalshi and CNN Integration

TV Programs: Harry Enten’s data analysis shows will regularly reference Kalshi probabilities

Real-Time Ticker: A scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen will display real-time probabilities for key events

Digital Platforms: CNN’s website and app will embed Kalshi’s interactive prediction charts

Social Content: CNN’s official accounts on Twitter, Instagram, etc., will cite Kalshi data

This comprehensive level of integration goes far beyond traditional data partnerships, effectively turning Kalshi’s prediction market into one of the foundational elements of CNN’s news narrative infrastructure.

Prediction Markets Enter Mainstream Media, Yahoo and Google Follow Suit

CNN is not the only media outlet adopting prediction data. Yahoo Finance and Google Finance integrated with Polymarket last month, showing that mainstream media and financial platforms see prediction markets as a new tool to attract younger audiences and strengthen their data journalism capabilities. Now, the CNN-Kalshi partnership also signals that prediction markets are moving to the core, gradually becoming part of the basic data infrastructure for media information.

This trend reflects a deep transformation in the media industry. The value of traditional news reporting is being questioned because in the era of social media, post-event reporting is often less impactful than first-hand videos or direct posts from those involved. Media outlets need to provide unique added value, and prediction and analysis are exactly that. Prediction market data offers media a new differentiating tool: not just telling audiences what happened, but what the market thinks will happen next.

Different media outlets choosing different prediction market partners is also intriguing. Yahoo Finance and Google Finance selected Polymarket, likely for its higher trading volume and broader international user base. CNN chose Kalshi, clearly valuing its US-compliant status and CFTC regulatory backing. For mainstream media, partnering with regulated platforms reduces legal and reputational risks.

This competitive landscape is positive for the prediction market industry as a whole. When top media and financial platforms simultaneously adopt prediction market data, the industry’s legitimacy and mainstream acceptance will grow rapidly. Users will gradually get used to thinking about the future in terms of market probabilities, rather than relying solely on expert opinions or polls.

Top-Tier Investment Behind the $1 Billion Funding Round

Alongside the CNN partnership announcement, Kalshi confirmed the completion of a $1 billion Series E round led by Paradigm, with participation from a16z, Sequoia Capital, and ARK Invest. The valuation doubled to $11 billion. This leap in valuation shows investors’ strong confidence in Kalshi’s business model and growth potential in the prediction market space.

Paradigm is one of the largest VC funds in crypto, managing over $13 billion in assets. Its lead investment signifies that Kalshi is being seen as a successful example of blockchain technology in real-world applications. a16z (Andreessen Horowitz) is one of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious VCs, with a crypto fund exceeding $7 billion, focused on investing in blockchain applications with network effects.

As a global top-tier VC, Sequoia Capital’s portfolio includes tech giants like Google, PayPal, and Stripe. Its investment brings Kalshi not just capital but also extensive operational experience and enterprise client resources. ARK Invest, led by renowned investor Cathie Wood, is known for betting on disruptive innovation. ARK’s participation implies that Kalshi is being seen as a revolutionary platform capable of disrupting traditional polling and analysis industries.

Mansour stated that Kalshi is replacing the subjectivity and noise of traditional media with the truth brought by market-based accuracy. Going forward, Kalshi will expand brokerage integrations, deepen partnerships with news organizations, and broaden the range of tradable event categories, accelerating mainstream adoption of prediction markets. Although the vision is ambitious, the $1 billion in funding and $11 billion valuation provide ample resources to achieve these goals.

From Compliance Challenges to Mainstream Recognition: Kalshi’s Comeback

Kalshi’s success has not been smooth. The company was once accused of operating an illegal gambling platform and taking positions against retail investors; compliance actually became a stumbling block on its business path for a time. However, this commitment to compliance ultimately led Kalshi to receive full approval from the CFTC, making it the only federally regulated prediction market in the US. This compliance status is the key reason why CNN chose Kalshi over Polymarket.

From being questioned to being chosen by CNN as an exclusive partner, Kalshi’s journey proves that in highly regulated industries, compliance may increase costs and restrictions in the short term, but in the long run, it is the only way to build competitive barriers and win mainstream trust. While Polymarket has higher trading volume, its focus on international users and ongoing US regulatory investigations make mainstream media more cautious in selecting it as a partner.

With a valuation of $11 billion, Kalshi is now the highest-valued company in the prediction market sector. What assumptions underpin this valuation? Investors likely believe that as prediction markets become the standard data source for mainstream media and financial platforms, Kalshi, as the compliant leader in the US market, will capture the lion’s share of this rapidly growing sector. If prediction markets do become as foundational as polling or rating agencies, the leader’s valuation could indeed reach the tens of billions.