Polymarket Quietly Rolls Out Taker Fees for Fast Crypto Trades

Polymarket has quietly added taker fees to its 15-minute crypto markets, redistributing them to liquidity providers. The change targets high-frequency trading and aims to improve market quality, while other markets remain fee-free.

Polymarket has quietly introduced taker fees on its 15-minute crypto up/down markets, departing from its previous zero-fee model for these short-term markets. The new fee structure is designed to incentivize liquidity providers by redistributing all collected taker fees daily in USDC, rather than treating them as platform revenue. The fees are variable, peaking at around 3% when market odds are near 50% and decreasing toward the extremes, aiming to encourage balanced trading and reduce friction for directional traders. This adjustment targets high-frequency trading bots and aims to improve market quality, stabilize spreads, and foster a healthier trading environment. The change applies only to short-duration crypto markets, while longer-term, political, and non-crypto markets remain fee-free. The update was implemented without a formal announcement, suggesting a trial phase, and has sparked discussion among users about its impact on trading strategies and liquidity.