A new, mysterious prediction platform “World,” backed by the blockchain network Solana, went live on Wednesday, according to an announcement.
The platform has built-in trading functionality inside the Phantom wallet. Customers can access the platform at world.xyz online, or via the mobile app on iOS and Android.
What is the World platform?
World’s basic structure is just like any other operator with prediction markets, where customers log in and buy or sell outcomes associated with various events. Available markets are restricted to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the price of Bitcoin, although the platform has imminent plans to launch more sports, geopolitical, and economic markets, according to an announcement.
“World is designed to show what Solana makes possible: real-time markets, on-chain settlement, and a user experience that meets people where they are,” said Solana Foundation's consumer head Pedro Miranda.
A key feature of World is that it will operate fully on-chain. All of customers’ positions will be graded and settled on Solana, meaning that they will never have to swap currencies off-chain when placing or redeeming their winnings.
Settlements will be paid using Phantom’s CASH stablecoin, which is a type of cryptocurrency that maintains its value by tying it to tangible currency, such as the U.S. dollar. Solana also has the ability to process thousands of transactions per second at a low cost.
The announcement noted that more than 20 million users have Phantom wallets, giving them near-immediate access to World’s platform.
World will also utilize Chainlink Data Feeds to ensure that markets are transparent, fair, and based on real-time information.
"World's integration of Chainlink is a major milestone in prediction markets moving away from human-driven legacy solutions to advanced decentralized infrastructure that unlocks immediate market resolutions," said Johann Eid, chief business officer at Chainlink Labs.
More competition in prediction markets
The push into the prediction industry and launch of new platforms is a direct reflection of the sweeping momentum recently experienced by prediction markets.
Kalshi, America's leading operator, recently reported that it recorded $10.3 billion in notional value, spurred by the ongoing World Cup. Prediction market tracking resource DeFi Rate also reported that Polymarket reached $3.7 billion in notional value over the last week at the time of writing.
It was reported last week that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg ordered his company to develop a moneyless prediction platform. Tuesday reports built on that, saying that Zuckerberg last year had discussed with Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour an acquisition of his prediction markets company. Conflicting stories allege that Zuckerberg backed out due to ethical concerns, and Mansour did not want to sell his company.
There are more recent examples of launches of prediction platforms. ADI Predicstreet, the World Cup’s Official Prediction Partner, only launched three days before the tournament began on June 11.
That’s not to say that the growing industry hasn’t faced serious scrutiny. The top operators and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), their federal regulatory body, have found themselves caught in litigation involving state officials who want to regulate, limit, or ban prediction markets.
The CFTC and its licensed platforms have largely won those battles due to the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. However, Michigan recently secured a temporary restraining order against Kalshi in what was one of several recent wins for state officials.
The Trade Handle Prediction Markets Take
Launching World further brings prediction markets into the world of cryptocurrency and makes them more accessible for users. Utilizing Chainlink Data Feeds will speed up the settlement process and increase transparency and integrity monitoring, both of which are great concerns in any industry involving the transfer of money.