Prediction markets are increasingly being framed not as gambling platforms but as tools to monetize information, although the founders acknowledged that the line may blur depending on user intent at Consensus Hong Kong 2026.
Ding X, founder of Predict.fun, argued that prediction markets are more like insurance underwriting or poker than roulette. “It’s more information trading and trying to hedge risk, rather than gambling,” he said, distinguishing skill-based forecasting from games where long-term odds guarantee losses.
Farokh Sarmad, co-founder of DASTAN, agreed that speculation exists, but described the sector as “a multi-trillion dollar asset class in the making.” In his view, prediction markets are simply “financial information,” allowing participants to monetize insights rather than leaving value solely with media companies or bookmakers.
Jared Dillinger, CEO of New Prontera Group and a former professional athlete, said the classification largely depends on how platforms are built and used. “It just depends on the eye of the beholder,” he said, adding that prediction markets act as “an informational asset class,” although some users approach them as bets.
The more pressing challenge is insider trading. High-profile examples – from leaked entertainment setlists to geopolitical developments – have highlighted the risk of information asymmetry.
“Insider information is not okay,” Sarmad said, noting that blockchain transparency can make suspicious wallets visible. Still, Dillinger acknowledged enforcement limits. “There will always be loopholes that people will find.”
As trading volume increases and regulators take notice, the founders agreed that monitoring tools, clearer disclosure norms and stronger platform governance will determine whether prediction markets mature into a recognized financial category – or remain viewed as speculative betting.
