Canadian investors will soon gain access to a new way of trading events, as Wealthsimple prepares to launch a dedicated prediction markets platform this summer. The company has received regulatory approval to offer approximately 4,000 contracts from Kalshi, covering topics like financial indexes, economic indicators, and climate outcomes. The platform, named Wealthsimple Predict, marks one of the first instances of retail prediction market access in Canada under a structured derivatives framework.
The move follows authorization from the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, which classified these contracts as derivatives with a minimum settlement period of 30 days. Wealthsimple becomes the second investment dealer in the country to offer such products. The partnership with Kalshi brings a wide range of event-based contracts to Canadian users, reflecting growing interest in prediction markets worldwide.
Kalshi has also been expanding its presence beyond traditional prediction markets. The company recently introduced crypto perpetual futures and reported over $5.5 billion in trading volume within two weeks. It currently offers 11 cryptocurrency-linked perpetual contracts and is engaging with regulators about additional products. This growth has sparked debates in the U.S. regarding the classification and oversight of such instruments.
Legal and regulatory challenges are mounting globally. In the U.S., CME Group filed a lawsuit against the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over approvals for crypto perpetuals offered by Kalshi and Coinbase. Several states have also moved against prediction markets, while international regulators in Spain, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea have taken steps to restrict access. These developments highlight the contentious nature of prediction markets and their uncertain regulatory future.