Blockratize Locks Down the POLY Name at the USPTO
Blockratize Inc., the parent company behind crypto prediction market Polymarket, filed trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for two wordmarks: "POLY" and "$POLY." The filings, submitted on February 4, 2026, cover a broad scope of cryptocurrency services, financial trading platforms, and blockchain-based payment systems. Both applications are listed as live and pending on an intent-to-use basis, meaning the marks are not yet tied to a commercial product but the company is staking its claim ahead of launch.
The trademark descriptions specifically reference "providing a digital currency or digital token for use by members of an on-line community via a global computer network," alongside cryptocurrency trading, financial exchange services, and portfolio management. That language leaves little room for ambiguity about what Blockratize is building.
A $9 Billion Prediction Platform Eyes Its Next Move
Polymarket is no longer a scrappy DeFi experiment. Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, invested $2 billion into the platform, valuing it at approximately $9 billion. That institutional backing, combined with Polymarket's dominance in the prediction market vertical, makes any token launch a marquee event for the broader crypto ecosystem.
The platform has already taken steps to strengthen its infrastructure. Its partnership with Circle to transition from bridged USDC.e to native USDC on Polygon reduced institutional settlement risk and signaled that Polymarket is building for serious capital flows, not just retail speculation. A native POLY token would add a governance and utility layer on top of that stablecoin foundation.
The Airdrop Playbook: Hyperliquid as a Blueprint
Polymarket CMO Matthew Modabber has been unusually transparent about the company's token intentions. In October 2025, Modabber confirmed plans for both a POLY token and an airdrop during an appearance on Degenz Live. He stated the team wants the token to have "true utility" and "longevity," distancing it from the wave of governance tokens that launched with little function beyond voting.
More notably, Modabber referenced Hyperliquid's airdrop as a model worth studying. Hyperliquid distributed $1.6 billion in tokens based on protocol usage, rewarding power users proportionally to their activity on the platform. That comment has fueled speculation that Polymarket trading volume will serve as a primary eligibility metric for any POLY distribution. The result: a surge of liquidity from users farming potential airdrop eligibility through high-frequency trading on the platform.
This is speculative analysis, not financial advice. No official eligibility criteria, token supply, or distribution timeline have been announced.
Regulatory Headwinds Could Shape the Timeline
Despite its growth trajectory, Polymarket faces real legal challenges that may influence when and how a token launches. The platform settled with the CFTC in 2022 for $1.4 million over operating an unregistered trading facility. More recently, a Nevada state court issued a temporary restraining order blocking Polymarket from offering event-based contracts, citing likely violations of Nevada gaming law. Polymarket moved the case to federal court, arguing the state action conflicts with federal law.
Additional class-action litigation alleging illegal gambling operations adds complexity. Token distributions to U.S. persons carry securities law implications, and Modabber himself noted the company would not launch its token until reestablishing a U.S. market presence. On Myriad, a prediction market owned by Decrypt's parent company, users currently assign only a 30% probability to Polymarket announcing its token before May 2026. The trademark filing suggests intent is locked in, but execution depends on clearing these regulatory hurdles.
What This Means for the Prediction Market Ecosystem
A POLY token from a $9 billion platform backed by ICE would be the highest-profile token launch in the prediction market category. It would also test whether prediction markets can support a token economy beyond simple betting. The trademark filings reference portfolio management and financial exchange services, hinting that Polymarket may position POLY as infrastructure for a broader prediction-as-a-service platform rather than a narrow governance token.
For crypto users, the implications extend beyond just holding another token. If Polymarket follows the Hyperliquid playbook, retroactive rewards based on platform usage could create a new category of airdrop farming tied to real market engagement rather than liquidity mining or social tasks. That model aligns with a growing trend across DeFi where protocols reward actual users over passive capital.
The broader crypto wallet and spending ecosystem also stands to benefit. Polymarket already runs on USDC, and a POLY token with real utility could drive further stablecoin adoption across self-custody wallets that support Polygon. Users who already hold stablecoins in their wallets for everyday spending through crypto cards would have a seamless on-ramp to participate.
FAQ
What is the POLY token? POLY is the anticipated native token for Polymarket, the crypto-based prediction market platform. Blockratize Inc., Polymarket's parent company, filed trademarks for "POLY" and "$POLY" with the USPTO on February 4, 2026. No official token launch date has been announced.
Will there be a POLY airdrop? Polymarket CMO Matthew Modabber confirmed plans for an airdrop in October 2025 and referenced Hyperliquid's usage-based distribution as a model. No eligibility criteria or timeline have been officially published. This is not financial advice.
When will the POLY token launch? No launch date has been confirmed. Prediction markets currently place about a 30% chance on a token announcement before May 2026. Regulatory challenges in Nevada and ongoing class-action litigation could affect timing.
How much is Polymarket worth? Intercontinental Exchange invested $2 billion in Polymarket, valuing the platform at approximately $9 billion.
Overview
Blockratize Inc. filed USPTO trademarks for "POLY" and "$POLY" on February 4, 2026, covering cryptocurrency services, token distribution, and financial trading platforms. The filing intensifies speculation around a Polymarket token launch and retroactive airdrop, with CMO Matthew Modabber having previously confirmed both plans and cited Hyperliquid's $1.6 billion distribution as a reference model. Despite a $9 billion valuation backed by a $2 billion investment from Intercontinental Exchange, regulatory challenges including a CFTC settlement, Nevada gaming law disputes, and class-action litigation could influence the token's timeline. Prediction markets currently place a 30% probability on an announcement before May 2026, but the trademark filing signals that Blockratize is laying the legal groundwork to move forward.
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