Reported by Lockridge Okoth

Polymarket is encouraging more traders to verify their identities and tightening enforcement against VPN use, marking a clear shift from its long-standing permissionless trading model.

The world’s largest prediction market faces growing sanctions, legal, and regulatory pressure on its operations. House Oversight Committee investigators have requested KYC and geographic enforcement records by June 5.

What Changes for Everyday Users

According to a report from The Information, the company is pushing traders toward voluntary identity checks while clamping down on suspicious accounts.

Basic wallet-connect trading still works for most international users, who can deposit USD Coin (USDC) on Polygon without uploading personal documents.

That permissionless access is no longer guaranteed across the board. Polymarket now strictly polices VPN use, and accounts that bypass IP-based geoblocks risk suspension or permanent bans.

Traders running seven-figure positions, or rapid five-figure deposit-trade-withdraw cycles, have been documented triggering verification under internal anti-money laundering thresholds.

(Excerpt shared above. To read full report, go to: https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/crypto/articles/polymarket-blocking-vpn-access-kyc-181022107.html)