Platform comparison
| Platform | YES odds | NO odds | Fee | KYC | Settlement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Polymarket (via Polymarket Review UK) Pick polygram.ink (preferred broker) |
64% | 36% | 0% (USDC on-chain) | No-KYC up to $1,500 | USDC, auto via UMA oracle | Trade this market → |
Polymarket (direct) polymarket.com |
64% | 36% | 0% | Geo-blocked in US/UK/EU | USDC, on-chain | Trade this market → |
Kalshi kalshi.com |
— | — | Up to 7% per trade | US-only, KYC required | USD | Trade this market → |
Betfair Exchange betfair.com |
— | — | 2-5% commission | Full KYC from first trade | GBP / EUR | Trade this market → |
Manifold Markets manifold.markets |
— | — | Play-money (mana) | None — play-money | Mana (no cash-out) | Trade this market → |
Outcome probabilities
Current market-implied probability for each outcome, from the live order book.
| Outcome | Probability |
|---|---|
| August 31 | 64% |
| August 15 | 33% |
Market context
Iran and Oman are negotiating a formal arrangement on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran saying a route deal is close but still conditional on wider political and security issues. For this market, the key distinction is that a headline about a *route* or *temporary lane* only counts if it amounts to an official diplomatic agreement or equivalent instrument between the two governments, not just a public proposal or press statement. [2][8][13]
The 30% crowd price makes sense against the recent pattern: there has been genuine movement, but also repeated signs that the sides are not yet aligned on control, fees, and enforcement. Reuters reported a June joint statement to continue talks via a working group, then later reported Oman’s proposal for joint regional management and Iran’s rejection of that wider model; Iranian officials have since said the two sides are “very close”, while also tying any reopening to compensation and other conditions. That is a classic setup for a programmatic watchlist: one set of alerts for formal joint communiqués, another for ministry readouts, and a third for state media drafts that may precede a legal-text announcement. [4][14][15][13]
The near-term catalysts are clear. A qualifying Yes would likely need an official Tehran–Muscat statement, a signed memorandum, or a published agreement that sets out obligations on traffic management, navigation, fees, or permitted vessel flows before the settlement deadline. Reuters and Bloomberg both cited Iranian comments on 5–8 August that a joint statement was in drafting or the deal was “agreed in principle”, but the same reporting also said remaining issues included administration and external obstruction, which leaves room for slippage rather than instant resolution. For traders using bots or conditional orders, the practical trigger is not “talks progressed”, but a source-verifiable diplomatic instrument with enough detail to meet the market’s definition. [8][12][13]
Methodology
This page is a comparison snapshot: one live quote, four reference venues with their key attributes, and a single execution path — every trade button routes to Polymarket Review UK, which mirrors the Polymarket order book directly.
Resolution & payout
Settlement runs on-chain. Polymarket's contract logic separates YES and NO shares as conditional tokens; at resolution the winning share lifts to $1.00 and the losing one to $0. The outcome input comes from the UMA Optimistic Oracle, which secures against bad resolution with a bond + dispute window.
Once finalised, the smart contract pays USDC to the holders' wallets within minutes — no withdrawal fees beyond Polygon network gas. Kalshi settles in USD via CFTC clearance, Betfair in account currency net of commission, Manifold in play-money mana with no cash-out.
UK Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this market available outside the US?
- Polymarket itself is geo-blocked in the US/UK/EU. Always check the legal status of prediction markets in your jurisdiction before trading.
- What's the difference between YES and NO shares?
- A YES share pays $1.00 if the event happens, $0 otherwise. A NO share pays $1.00 if the event doesn't happen. The market price between 0¢ and 100¢ is the implied probability.
- Is Polymarket legal in the UK?
- Polymarket is accessible to UK traders but is not UKGC-licensed. It operates under US CFTC jurisdiction. UK residents face no domestic legal prohibition on using it, but UKGC consumer protections do not apply. For UKGC-regulated alternatives, Betfair Exchange and Smarkets offer similar prediction-style markets.
- Do I pay tax on prediction market profits in the UK?
- UKGC-licensed platform profits (Betfair, Smarkets) are typically tax-free gambling winnings for UK individuals. Polymarket profits involve USDC crypto transactions, which HMRC treats as Capital Gains Tax events. Keep full transaction records and report via Self Assessment if gains exceed £3,000 per tax year.
- How do I deposit on Polymarket from the UK?
- UK traders typically fund Polymarket via Coinbase UK, Kraken or Revolut — buying USDC with GBP and transferring to a Polygon-compatible wallet (MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet). Polymarket's onboarding walks you through the bridging process. Typical GBP-to-USDC conversion costs 0.5–1%.
Trade Iran-Oman Hormuz Management Agreement by 2026? on Polymarket Review UK
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