Connect with us

Crypto World

Tennessee judge sides with Kalshi in ongoing sports markets battle

Published

on

Tennessee judge sides with Kalshi in ongoing sports markets battle

A federal judge in Tennessee has granted a preliminary injunction preventing state officials from enforcing gambling laws against prediction market platform Kalshi, marking a significant win for the federally regulated exchange in its escalating legal battles with state regulators.

Summary

  • A Tennessee federal court granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council from enforcing state gambling laws against Kalshi while litigation continues.
  • U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger signaled Kalshi is likely to succeed in arguing its sports event contracts fall under federal derivatives law regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not state betting statutes.
  • The ruling adds to a growing nationwide legal patchwork, including enforcement efforts by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, highlighting an escalating federal-versus-state regulatory clash over prediction markets.

Tennessee court halts state crackdown on Kalshi

U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger ruled that Kalshi is likely to succeed in its argument that its sports-related event contracts fall under federal derivatives law, rather than state gambling statutes. The decision temporarily blocks enforcement actions by the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council while the broader lawsuit proceeds.

Kalshi operates as a designated contract market regulated by the CFTC offering event-based contracts that allow users to trade on the outcome of real-world events, including sports.

Advertisement

The company argues that these contracts qualify as “swaps” under the Commodity Exchange Act, placing them squarely within federal jurisdiction and preempting state-level gambling laws.

Tennessee regulators had issued cease-and-desist letters alleging that Kalshi’s sports markets constituted unlicensed sports betting. In granting the injunction, the court indicated that subjecting Kalshi to both federal derivatives oversight and state gaming regulation could undermine the uniform regulatory framework established by Congress.

The ruling adds to a growing patchwork of legal decisions nationwide. In Nevada, the Nevada Gaming Control Board has filed a civil enforcement action accusing Kalshi of offering unlawful wagering, while other states have taken mixed approaches in court.

Advertisement

Though temporary, the injunction underscores a broader jurisdictional clash between federal derivatives regulators and state gaming authorities. The outcome could have sweeping implications for prediction markets across the United States, potentially reshaping how sports-related event contracts are classified and regulated nationwide.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Crypto World

Bitcoin ETFs Near Five-Week Outflow Streak With $404M Outflows

Published

on

Bitcoin ETFs Near Five-Week Outflow Streak With $404M Outflows

Selling pressure in US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs continued Thursday, with analysts noting the cryptocurrency is on track for one of its worst yearly starts.

Spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs saw $165.8 million in outflows Thursday, bringing weekly losses to $403.9 million, according to SoSoValue data.

The redemptions moved the funds closer to a possible five-week outflow streak, with year-to-date (YTD) losses totaling $2.7 billion.

Daily flows in US spot Bitcoin ETFs this week. Source: SoSoValue

Trading activity continued to shrink, falling 21% over the week and reaching its lowest levels since late December, signaling weakening investor activity.

Despite $53.9 billion in cumulative net inflows, analysts, including DropsTab, noted that 2026 is shaping up to be “one of the worst yearly starts in Bitcoin’s history,” with BTC prices down about 22% year-to-date, according to TradingView data.

Advertisement

BlackRock’s IBIT leads losses with $368 million in outflows this week

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) accounted for the bulk of outflows this week, totaling $368 million, according to Farside data.

Other US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs saw little or no activity this week, aside from about $50 million in outflows from the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) on Wednesday.

Daily flows in US spot Bitcoin ETFs by issuer. Source: Farside.co.uk

Some major financial institutions reported reducing IBIT exposure earlier this week, with Brevan Howard cutting its holding in the fund by as much as 85% in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Bitcoin set for one of its worst yearly starts

The ongoing outflows from Bitcoin ETFs coincide with weakening investor sentiment, as multiple sources point to unusually low BTC price levels compared to previous cycles.

Drops Analytics highlighted Bitcoin’s price in the context of halving — an event that reduces BTC’s block reward once every four years and is typically followed by price surges in the years that follow.

Advertisement
Analysis, Bitcoin Price, Ethereum ETF, Bitcoin ETF
Source: Drops Analytics

“Almost two years later, BTC trades around $66,000 — nearly the same level as during the April 2024 halving,” Drops Analytics said in a Telegram post on Thursday.

Related: Quantum fears aren’t behind Bitcoin’s 46% drop, says developer

“This has never happened before. In previous cycles, BTC was already three to 10 times above halving levels by now,” it added.

According to Checkonchain data, Bitcoin is off to its worst yearly start on record, 50 days into 2026, surpassing previous down years, including 2018.

Magazine: Did a Hong Kong fund kill Bitcoin? Bithumb’s ‘phantom’ BTC: Asia Express

Advertisement