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fromWIRED
1 day ago'Uncanny Valley': Iran's Threats on US Tech, Trump's Plans for Midterms, and Polymarket's Pop-up Flop
Iran threatens US tech firms amid ongoing tensions and preparations for midterm elections are underway.
Intercontinental Exchange has completed a $600 million direct cash investment in prediction market platform Polymarket as part of a broader equity fundraising round. This investment follows ICE's previously disclosed $1 billion commitment made in October 2025, fulfilling its obligations under the investment agreement.
"Strong evidence this is a takeover of Proper 21 on K Street," wrote Jessica Sidman, food editor of Washingtonian, on X. "The rendering looks like the interior of the Barcode without the booths," another person suggested.
The wallets definitely [look like] someone with some degree of inside info, said Ben Yorke, formerly a researcher with CoinTelegraph, now building an AI trading platform called Starchild.
Kalshi's valuation comes as the company trades punches with Polymarket in a heavyweight duel for the top spot in the prediction market industry. Earlier in March, both companies were reportedly eyeing valuations of $20 billion each.
The marketing stunt has been launched by Polymarket, a company that has made a name for itself by letting people bet on real-life occurrences, like celebrity news and political events. The Polymarket grocery is scheduled to open on February 12, with passersby able to walk in and pick up groceries without shelling out cash. The idea is that a fully-stocked market won't require any purchase from New Yorkers to access groceries inside the store.
Polymarket, the cryptocurrency-based prediction market, announced on Tuesday it would be opening New York City's first free grocery store, seemingly a nod to the mayor's signature policy. In a statement the firm said it hoped to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good, and that it had donated $1m to the Food Bank for NYC. The eponymous Polymarket store, however, will apparently only run as a temporary pop-up, and despite supposedly opening on 12 February its location has yet to be announced.
Through our partnership with MLS and Leagues Cup, we can surface real-time collective sentiment around key moments, matches, and season-long storylines, giving fans a more interactive, data-driven way to experience the game and engage with the world's most popular sport.