Mesh and Kalshi Partner to Enable Cryptocurrency Deposits on Prediction Markets
Mesh and Kalshi announced a partnership on May 5 to let users deposit and withdraw cryptocurrency directly on Kalshi’s prediction market platform. The integration connects Kalshi to Mesh’s global cryptocurrency payments network, removing the need to manually transfer funds between exchanges and wallets.
The deal positions Kalshi as one of the first major prediction platforms to offer native crypto settlement for U.S. users.
What the Partnership Does
The announcement says Kalshi users will connect their existing cryptocurrency exchange accounts or wallets through Mesh to fund positions and collect winnings. Supported networks include Coinbase (COIN) and a range of other major platforms.
Mesh’s infrastructure handles the transfer layer, so funds move without users leaving the Kalshi interface. The partnership also covers payouts, meaning winnings can settle directly back to a user’s crypto wallet rather than routing through a bank account.
Prediction markets, which are platforms where users trade contracts tied to the probability of real-world events, have grown sharply in the United States since the CFTC granted Kalshi expanded trading permissions in late 2023.
Forbes reported in a May 5 article that the category reached 8.58 million monthly active users by January 2026, with CNN naming Kalshi its official prediction data provider.
Why Crypto Rails Matter Here
Kalshi’s user base skews toward politically engaged and financially active retail traders. Adding a cryptocurrency deposit option lowers friction for currency-native users who hold assets on exchanges rather than in bank accounts.
Mesh said the integration also supports Ripple (XRP) USD, a dollar-pegged stablecoin, alongside spot cryptocurrency deposits. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a fixed value against a reference asset, typically the U.S. dollar.
Mesh, founded in 2020, describes itself as building the first global cryptocurrency payments network.
The company has logged partnerships with Paxos, RedotPay, and Rain in recent months, broadening its settlement stack beyond consumer wallets into institutional and platform integrations.
Background
Kalshi’s rise accelerated after courts upheld its right to offer event contracts on U.S. elections in 2024, a ruling that opened the door to broader CFTC-regulated prediction markets. The category attracted significant venture capital in 2025 and early 2026 as institutional investors treated prediction markets as a credible alternative data source for macro positioning.
The Mesh deal extends that momentum into cryptocurrency infrastructure, aligning two fast-growing sectors.
Also Read: Haun Ventures Closes $1 Billion Crypto and AI Fund Despite Market Slump
What to Watch
The immediate question is whether other prediction platforms follow Kalshi’s lead. Polymarket, the largest offshore prediction market by volume, already accepts Ethereum (ETH)-based deposits natively.
A Kalshi rollout with broader cryptocurrency support could pressure domestic competitors to accelerate their own payment integrations. Mesh has not disclosed financial terms of the deal.
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