Apps and Trends to Watch: Prediction Markets Go Mainstream with Kalshi, Polymarket, and Myriad

Prediction markets are evolving from niche to mainstream, exemplified by Kalshi's regulated approach with leaderboards and social feeds, Polymarket's decentralized platform using daily rewards to incentivize liquidity and habit formation, Myriad's integration of media consumption with trading tasks, and Robinhood's experimentation signaling broader fintech adoption.
These apps demonstrate how combining financial mechanics with social and gamified features creates deep engagement loops.
Developers can learn from these engagement patterns—using real-world events, timely incentives, and social validation—to build repeatable habits.
Advertisers can target high-intent users in these environments.
The lines between finance, gaming, and social are merging, offering a playbook for engagement design across all app categories.