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Shayne Coplan
CEO @ Polymarket
Shayne Coplan is the 26-year-old founder and CEO of Polymarket, the world's largest prediction market platform.13 Born in 1998 and raised on the Upper West Side of New York City, Coplan studied computer science at New York University but left before completing his degree to pursue his interests in cryptocurrencies and prediction markets.3
Career Highlights
- Founded Polymarket in March 2020, which has become a prominent platform for betting on real-world events.14
- Participated in Ethereum's initial coin offering in 2014 when he was just 16 years old.23
- Previously interned at Chronicled (June-August 2016) and Genius (April-July 2015).1
Polymarket's Impact
Polymarket has gained significant attention, particularly during the 2024 U.S. presidential election:
- Facilitated over $3.2 billion in bets during the 2024 election.3
- Accurately predicted major political events, including Donald Trump's victory.2
- Raised approximately $70 million from investors, including Vitalik Buterin and Peter Thiel's Founders Fund.4
Recent Developments
On November 14, 2024, the FBI raided Coplan's apartment, seizing his phone and other electronic devices.56 This incident occurred after Polymarket's controversial success in predicting the election outcome, though no charges have been filed against Coplan or Polymarket as of that date.6
Highlights
Excited to share that Polymarket has raised $70m:
A $45m Series B led by Founders Fund and insiders 1confirmation and ParaFi + Vitalik Buterin, & Dragonfly
And a $25m Series A led by General Catalyst + Polychain, Joe Gebbia, & more
Coverage of our Series B: https://lnkd.in/eK2CJDDT
We've had $202.7m worth of predictions made on Polymarket so far this year.
But what's been most gratifying is seeing the widespread adoption of Polymarket as an alternative news source. Read more in the tweet storm here: https://lnkd.in/ecMMi84d
The trend is clear: people understand what's going on in the world better because Polymarket exists.
Enough of the talking heads and news-by-algorithm. We're in a misinformation pandemic, and Polymarket presents a novel information format that is driven by financial incentives for truth, rather than engagement baiting.
People want unbiased information. Polymarket delivers.
I'm deeply grateful for all those I get to work with on this journey. I live my dreams, and I don't take it for granted. Thank you
If you're into markets, memes, and winning, we're hiring: https://lnkd.in/e2QZvimv
Onwards
