Kalshi
New users only, 18+, must be located in a state where Kalshi operates. Deposit and settle at least $25 in qualifying trades within 7 days of signup to receive a $25 bonus. Bonus credit is not cash — it can only be used on Kalshi's markets and expires 7 days after being issued. Trade outcome (win or lose) does not affect eligibility. See kalshi.com for full terms.
Claim this offer →18+. New customers only; terms apply.
Sign up, deposit at least $25, and settle that amount in qualifying trades within 7 days to unlock a randomized trading credit — most new users land $15, with a small chance at up to $500.
New users can claim Kalshi’s current welcome offer — Trade $25, Get $55 in Bonus Trading Credits — by entering a promo code during registration. The offer is built around a deposit-and-trade structure rather than a flat deposit bonus: fund a new account with at least $10, then place and settle at least $25 in qualifying trades within 30 days of signing up. Once that trading requirement is met, Kalshi credits $55 in bonus trading credits to the account regardless of whether those trades win or lose — the requirement is based on trade volume, not results.
The bonus is issued as trading credit rather than withdrawable cash — it can only be used on Kalshi’s event contract markets, and it expires seven days after it’s granted, so new users should plan to put it to work quickly rather than letting it sit. Bonus credit also carries a 1x playthrough requirement: you’ll need to trade an amount equal to the bonus before profits earned from it become withdrawable. The offer is limited to new users only, one per account. Curious how this compares to Kalshi’s baseline product beyond the promo? Our full Kalshi review breaks down the app, fee schedule, and market selection in more depth.
Kalshi allows a limited grace window for adding a referral or promo code after account creation: you can apply it within 72 hours of registering, but only if you haven’t yet made your first deposit. Once a deposit has been made, the code can no longer be added, so it’s safest to enter it during initial sign-up rather than relying on the grace period.
The welcome offer is limited to new users only and requires a valid U.S. residential address in a state where Kalshi operates. Applicants must be 18 or older and complete identity verification before funds can be deposited or withdrawn. The $25 trading requirement applies to any market on the platform, not just sports — users can settle it with political, economic, weather, or culture contracts if that’s what’s active at the time. Kalshi sports contracts are not currently available in Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, and Washington, and availability has shifted more than once in 2026 amid ongoing state-level legal challenges, so it’s worth confirming your state is supported before registering.
Kalshi charges trading fees on a formula-based schedule rather than a flat commission — fees scale with the price of the contract and are highest near 50/50 odds, tapering off toward the extremes. Maker orders (providing liquidity) are charged roughly a quarter of the taker fee. Funding methods include ACH bank transfer, debit card, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and crypto (USDC), with a $1 minimum for most methods and a $1,000 minimum for wire transfers. ACH deposits typically post in 1–3 business days at no cost, while wire transfers settle same-day or next-day for a $25 fee. Withdrawals generally follow the same processing windows as the funding method used.
Beyond the sign-up offer, Kalshi periodically runs limited-time credit boosts and deposit-tied promotions tied to major sporting events, election cycles, and other high-traffic market periods — NFL kickoff weekends and midterm election cycles are common windows for bigger pushes. Bonus amounts attached to various promo codes have fluctuated throughout 2026, with some third-party codes offering higher bonus credits than the standard welcome offer during promotional windows. These promotions rotate and aren’t guaranteed to be live at any given time, so it’s worth checking Kalshi’s promo center after signing up to see what’s currently available, and confirming the exact bonus amount tied to any code before you deposit.
Kalshi’s welcome offer requires new users to actually place $25 in qualifying trades within 30 days before the $55 bonus is credited — the trade doesn’t need to win, but it does need to happen. Polymarket’s current offer, by comparison, is a straight deposit bonus with no trading requirement: deposit $10 and a $50 bonus lands automatically. If you’re comfortable jumping into markets right away, Kalshi’s model pays out a slightly larger bonus relative to the amount at risk; if you’d rather bank the credit with zero trading obligation first, Polymarket’s structure is the lower-friction option. See our Polymarket promo code page for the full breakdown of that offer.
No, an account can be created without one, but entering an active code at sign-up is required to qualify for the welcome offer. You do have a 72-hour grace window to add a code after registering, but only if you haven’t made a deposit yet.
The current welcome offer is a $55 trading credit after settling $25 in qualifying trades within 30 days. Bonus amounts tied to Kalshi’s promo codes have fluctuated throughout 2026, so check the current terms tied to your specific code before registering.
No. All trades count toward the $25 volume requirement regardless of outcome — you don’t need to wait for a position to resolve, and losing trades still count toward the threshold.
Not directly. The bonus is issued as trading credit that must be used on Kalshi’s markets, carries a 1x playthrough requirement, and expires seven days after it’s granted. Profits earned from trading the credit become withdrawable once the playthrough requirement is met.
Only in states where Kalshi operates. Sports contracts specifically are currently unavailable in Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, and Washington, and availability has shifted at times in 2026 amid legal challenges in several states. Confirm your state is supported during registration before depositing.
Most funding methods have a $1 minimum deposit, though you’ll need at least $10 deposited and $25 traded to satisfy the welcome offer requirements. Wire transfers carry a higher $1,000 minimum.
Yes. Kalshi operates as a CFTC-regulated exchange nationwide, though several states have challenged whether its sports-related event contracts fall under state gambling law — litigation that has led to shifting availability in a handful of jurisdictions throughout 2026.
