Polymarket’s New Hourly Bitcoin Bets See Low Demand and Confuse Users

Key Points

• Polymarket’s New Hourly Bitcoin Bets See Low Demand and Confuse Users
• Early user reaction is mixed, with many questioning its value
• Hourly bets see far lower volumes than daily betting options
• Users concerned hourly bets may mimic risky traditional finance products

Polymarket‘s latest feature allows users to place hourly bets on Bitcoin and Ethereum prices, but it’s off to a slow and confusing start.

The platform, known for its popular crypto prediction markets, introduced this feature as an expansion of its offerings. However, initial volumes suggest that users are unsure about the new option — and many are skeptical of its utility.

[POLYMARKET] @Polymarket Launches Hourly Betting for Bitcoin and Ethereum, Letting Users Predict Price Moves Every Hour$BTC $ETH pic.twitter.com/JH1DyDtP3u

— BecauseBitcoin.com (@BecauseBitcoin) June 11, 2025

Polymarket introduces hourly betting on Bitcoin and Ethereum

Polymarket, one of the largest online prediction platforms, has pushed into new territory by allowing hourly wagers on whether Bitcoin and Ethereum will rise in value.

This comes after the platform recently announced a major new partnership, which led to a spike in attention. Now, it’s aiming to further engage users by giving them the ability to bet on price movements every hour — a major shift from the previous daily format.

Bitcoin & Ethereum hourly markets are now live.

You can now bet whether cryptos will go up or down each hour.

— Polymarket (@Polymarket) June 10, 2025

But the move has left many in the community puzzled.

While daily Bitcoin price bets have traditionally attracted large volumes — the most recent daily bet saw over $735,000 — the new hourly bets are struggling to gain traction. The first hourly Bitcoin bet drew only $43,000, and subsequent bets saw activity drop even further, with just $12,000 wagered in the next hour.

Ethereum hourly bets fared even worse, recording minimal participation so far. This comes at a time when Ethereum’s Geth conflict is already causing waves in the crypto space, which may also be influencing betting behavior.

Will Bitcoin Go Up This Hour? Source: Polymarket – Techtoken

Many users took to social media to express their confusion, arguing that hourly betting feels too similar to traditional trading. Some compared it to risky financial instruments like options or leveraged products, which are often heavily regulated or outright banned in many markets.

Community divided as early data suggests low interest

The addition of hourly betting was intended to drive engagement and add a new layer of excitement to the Polymarket experience. But the community reaction has been mixed at best.

Several prominent users questioned whether the feature offers any real advantage over existing trading options on regular crypto exchanges. Others voiced concerns that this could attract more speculative, high-risk behavior, which might harm Polymarket’s reputation.

It’s used to be called Binary Options and it’s highly regulated/banned due to its gambling nature.

— Tarek Jan (@TarekJan) June 11, 2025

Interestingly, Polymarket’s move comes as the broader crypto market is already navigating a wave of speculative activity. The Solana ETF approval rumors recently pushed SOL’s price up 4.5%, showing that even rumors can heavily sway market sentiment — something that could spill over into prediction markets as well.

So far, the numbers speak for themselves: users appear more comfortable sticking with longer time horizons for their bets.

It’s also worth noting that Polymarket operates in a legal gray area. The platform has faced regulatory challenges in multiple countries, being forced out of some markets due to gambling restrictions. The introduction of hourly bets may invite further scrutiny, especially if they resemble regulated financial products too closely.

Some in the community even suggested that the low initial volumes might be a blessing in disguise, reducing the potential for regulatory backlash.

The crypto space has seen increasing crossover between prediction markets and speculative tools. With the rise of AI trading bots and the surge in retail trading, the boundaries between betting, speculation, and traditional finance are blurring faster than ever.

Additionally, shifting regulatory landscapes, like the potential of Trump replacing Powell at the Federal Reserve, may further complicate the environment Polymarket operates in.

For now, Polymarket’s bold move into hourly Bitcoin bets seems to be off to a rocky start. Whether this feature will gain traction over time, or be quietly sidelined, remains to be seen.