Shayne Coplan (born 1998) is an American entrepreneur, technologist, and the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Polymarket, a prediction market. [1] [2]
Shayne Coplan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1998 Upper West Side, New York City, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | New York University (attended, did not graduate) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, technologist |
| Years active | 2020–present |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Polymarket |
| Website | polymarket |
Shayne Coplan was born in 1998 and raised on the Upper West Side of New York City. [1] [3] He attended public schools in Hell's Kitchen. [1] Coplan studied computer science at New York University but left before completing his degree to pursue interests in cryptocurrencies and prediction markets. [1] [3]
In 2014, Coplan participated in the initial coin offering of Ethereum and acquired the cryptocurrency when it was priced significantly lower than its later value. [1] [3] Inspired by economist Friedrich Hayek’s theories on decentralized information systems and George Mason University professor Robin Hanson’s work on Futarchy, Coplan founded Polymarket in 2020, which operates as a prediction market using smart contracts on the Polygon blockchain for settling wagers. [1] [3] Coplan’s Polymarket is now the largest prediction market in the world, facilitating over $3.2 billion in bets during the 2024 United States presidential election and featuring prominently in mainstream media coverage of the election. He was raided by the FBI in November 2024.