The post Polymarket quietly changes fee model for short term crypto markets appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Fees collected from takers are redistributed daily to liquidity providers in USDC. The highest fees apply when market odds are near 50% and fall toward zero at extremes. Longer-term crypto, political, and non-crypto markets remain fee-free. Prediction market platform Polymarket has made a subtle but meaningful change to how some of its crypto markets operate. Updated documentation on the site shows that 15-minute crypto up and down markets now carry taker fees, a break from the platform’s long-standing zero-fee trading model. The update appeared without a formal announcement and applies only to a narrow segment of markets. Most Polymarket markets remain fee-free, signalling a targeted structural adjustment rather than a platform-wide shift. The change was identified through revisions to Polymarket’s Trading Fees and Maker Rebates Program documentation. These sections now explain that taker-only fees have been enabled on short-duration crypto markets to fund liquidity incentives. Archived versions of the documentation indicate that this language is new, suggesting the fee model was introduced recently and without public notice. Documentation reveals new fee structure According to the updated material, the taker fees apply solely to 15-minute crypto markets. These are short-term contracts designed for rapid price movements, where liquidity conditions can change quickly. The platform states that fees collected from takers are redistributed daily to liquidity providers in USDC stablecoin, rather than retained by Polymarket itself. This redistribution mechanism positions the fee as a funding tool for market makers rather than a revenue stream for the platform. Other markets, including longer-term crypto predictions, political markets, and non-crypto events, continue to operate without fees. Fees tied to market odds The documentation outlines a variable fee model based on market odds. Fees are highest when prices are close to 50%, a range typically associated with the greatest uncertainty and trading activity. As odds move…

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Filed under: News - @ January 6, 2026 4:27 pm