Registering on Polymarket and the first deposit

Availability

Polymarket's terms restrict a list of countries from trading. Check whether the platform is available where you live before moving money: see Terms of Use on the platform's site. If your country is restricted, you cannot trade, and this guide is for understanding the mechanics only.

Two ways to sign in

Email or Google. Simplest: Polymarket creates a managed wallet for you; you never see keys or think about network fees. Downside: the platform holds the keys.

Your own wallet. Click "Connect wallet"; the wallet asks you to sign a message, which is free and transfers nothing, it only proves the address is yours. Upside: your keys. Downside: a couple more steps at the first deposit.

For a first try, email login is easier; you can move to your own wallet later.

The deposit address

Under "Deposit" the platform shows an address on Polygon and the list of accepted tokens. The address is unique to your account. Send USDC or USDT there from an exchange or wallet, on Polygon. Other networks and coins, where accepted, are converted automatically with a fee and a delay, so USDC on Polygon is the cheapest route.

First deposit

1. Copy the deposit address with the button.
2. From the exchange or wallet send a $5 test on Polygon.
3. Within one to three minutes the Polymarket balance updates. If not, open the transaction hash on polygonscan.com and confirm status Success and the recipient address.
4. Send the main amount.

Approvals the wallet asks for

With your own wallet, before the first trade the platform asks you to sign one or two approvals: allowing Polymarket's trading contract to move your USDC and outcome shares. This is standard for any blockchain app. Read what you sign: the wallet window shows which contract and which token. Never sign approvals on sites you reached from a link in a message.

Balance and portfolio

"Cash" or "Balance" is free USDC. "Portfolio" is the value of open positions at current prices plus free cash. After buying shares, Cash drops and Portfolio barely moves, because the shares are worth roughly what you paid.

Withdrawing, so you know in advance

"Withdraw": enter a Polygon address, usually your own wallet or an exchange deposit address, and the amount. Withdrawals are instant and cost cents. On the exchange you then sell USDC for ordinary money the way you bought it. Withdraw to an exchange only USDC on Polygon and only if the exchange accepts that network; check its deposit page.

Next: the first trade and how not to overpay for it.