Polymarket signals preparations for a native token launch?… files trademark applications for 'POLY'

Signs have emerged that decentralized prediction market platform Polymarket is taking preliminary steps toward launching its own crypto token. Market participants interpret this as Polymarket laying the groundwork with a medium- to long-term view toward a token issuance and an airdrop.

According to CoinDesk, a crypto-focused media outlet, Polymarket operator Blockratize recently filed trademark applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office for 'POLY' and '$POLY'. The filings were submitted on February 4 and are currently classified as “live/pending” after clearing administrative requirements.

The scope of the applications includes software related to financial and digital-asset trading, digital token services, and platform infrastructure for electronic transactions, payments, and clearing. However, the applications were submitted on an intent-to-use basis and therefore do not necessarily imply an imminent token launch.

Even so, the industry is reading the filings as more than a routine legal step. Polymarket executives have previously acknowledged that plans for a native token and an airdrop exist, while saying that restoring normal service operations in the US is the top priority.

Meanwhile, Polymarket has grown rapidly on the back of prediction markets covering political, economic, and social issues, establishing itself as one of the world’s major platforms by cumulative trading volume. While the token design and issuance timeline have not been disclosed, the market is paying attention to the fact that securing trademark rights is often used as a final step before a brand is publicly unveiled.