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← Robinhood platform profile ★ Review · Updated May 2026

Robinhood Prediction Markets
Review 2026

Robinhood prediction markets are powered by Kalshi's CFTC-licensed contracts: the same federal regulated product, accessed through Robinhood's familiar interface. No new account, no new deposit, no new KYC. If you already use Robinhood for stocks or options, prediction markets are one tap away. This review covers how Robinhood prediction markets work, how the fees compare to going direct, and when Robinhood is (and isn't) the right choice.

Robinhood prediction markets quick numbers — 4.0/5


Ease of entry
5/5
No new account if you have Robinhood
Regulation
5/5
Same CFTC Kalshi contracts
Market breadth
3/5
Curated subset of Kalshi catalog
Fee model
3/5
Per-contract vs Kalshi profit-only
US access
5/5
All 50 states via Kalshi CFTC license
Mobile UX
4/5
Robinhood's polished app
Choose Robinhood when…
  • You already have a Robinhood account
  • You want to try prediction markets without a new signup
  • You want stocks + prediction markets in one app
  • You're a casual trader, not a high-volume specialist
  • You want the easiest possible onboarding
Use Kalshi direct when…
  • You want the full Kalshi market catalog
  • You trade high volume (profit fee better than per-contract)
  • You want weather, niche economic, or deep political markets
  • You want the 1099-MISC for clean tax reporting
  • You're a dedicated prediction market trader

Robinhood prediction markets are Kalshi contracts


Robinhood doesn't operate its own prediction market exchange. It embeds Kalshi's CFTC-licensed contracts directly in the Robinhood app via an API partnership. When you trade a prediction market on Robinhood, you are trading on the same Kalshi orderbook as someone trading at kalshi.com: your order goes into the same liquidity pool.

What this means for traders: Same contracts, same prices, same CFTC regulation, same resolution process. The only differences are the interface, the fee structure charged by Robinhood vs Kalshi, and the breadth of the catalog surfaced in each app.

What's the same
  • CFTC DCM regulation
  • Underlying contracts and resolution
  • Shared Kalshi orderbook liquidity
  • Available in all 50 states
  • USD settlement
What's different
  • Fee structure ($0.02/contract vs profit fee)
  • Robinhood shows curated subset of markets
  • Tax reporting (Robinhood 1099-B, not Kalshi 1099-MISC)
  • Integrated with Robinhood portfolio
  • Robinhood customer support

Robinhood vs Kalshi direct: which costs less?


The fee difference between Robinhood and Kalshi direct depends on your trade size and win rate. Robinhood charges $0.01 + $0.01 per contract ($0.02 total) regardless of outcome. Kalshi charges a profit fee of 0–7% on winning trades only.

ScenarioRobinhood ($0.02/contract)Kalshi (7% profit fee)Winner
1,000 contracts at $0.50, WIN $20 $35 (7% of $500) Robinhood
1,000 contracts at $0.50, LOSE $20 $0 Kalshi
100 contracts at $0.10, WIN $2 $6.30 (7% of $90) Robinhood
100 contracts at $0.10, LOSE $2 $0 Kalshi
50% win rate over 10 trades $20 ~$17.50 avg Roughly equal

Rule of thumb: Robinhood's flat per-contract fee is better on high-win-rate, high-profit trades. Kalshi's profit-only fee is better when you lose frequently: because you pay $0 on losers. For casual traders with modest volume, the difference is small. For active traders, it can be meaningful.

What prediction markets can you trade on Robinhood?


Robinhood surfaces a curated subset of Kalshi's market catalog: the most popular and highest-liquidity contracts. As of May 2026, this includes:

Sports

Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, Masters, Wimbledon

Politics

Presidential races, congressional control, major elections

Economics

Fed rate decisions, CPI, S&P 500 levels

Weather

Hurricane season, major weather events

Niche markets (specific congressional races, granular economic data markets, city-level weather contracts) are more likely to be available on kalshi.com directly than in Robinhood's curated selection. If you don't find the market you're looking for on Robinhood, check Kalshi.

Common questions


Are Robinhood prediction markets the same as Kalshi?+

They use the same CFTC-licensed Kalshi contracts and the same orderbook liquidity. The differences are: fee structure ($0.02/contract on Robinhood vs profit-only fee on Kalshi), market breadth (Robinhood shows a curated subset; Kalshi.com has the full catalog), and tax reporting (Robinhood 1099-B vs Kalshi 1099-MISC).

Are Robinhood prediction markets legal?+

Yes. Robinhood prediction markets use Kalshi's CFTC-licensed contracts and are legal in all 50 US states. The CFTC DCM license and federal preemption of state gaming law applies exactly as it does for Kalshi direct.

How do I access prediction markets on Robinhood?+

Open the Robinhood app → tap the search icon → search for "prediction markets" or browse the Discover tab. Prediction market contracts appear alongside stocks and options. You use your existing Robinhood buying power: no separate deposit required.

Does Robinhood issue a 1099 for prediction market winnings?+

Robinhood issues a 1099-B for prediction market trading (as it does for other securities-like products). This is different from Kalshi's 1099-MISC. Both report taxable income: the form type differs because of how each platform classifies the contracts for reporting purposes. Consult a tax professional if you use both.