Kalshi co-founder eyes Brazil expansion in 2026

[The Buzz]

Kalshi co-founder Luana Lopes Lara, a 29-year-old Brazilian, who became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire, said the U.S.-based prediction market platform is assessing a potential expansion into Brazil in 2026, speaking in an interview with Valor.

New York-headquartered Kalshi has emerged as one of 2025’s most disruptive forces in the gambling sector, drawing attention for its event-based contracts tied to major news and sports outcomes. Critics argue the company’s move into sports markets sidesteps state-level betting regulations.

Even so, Kalshi’s model is already being emulated. DraftKings and FanDuel both launched prediction market products earlier this month, partnering with CME Group to list their contracts.

From the interview:

Valor: After raising $1 billion, what’s next for Kalshi?

Lara: We’re just getting started. One of the first things we announced after the round was our plan to expand internationally. Brazil means a lot to me. I really want us to operate there. We’re still studying how to do it, but I hope we can announce something in early 2026. We also want to grow in other countries. We envision something similar to CME, where you can access U.S. products from Brazil. In addition, we want to gradually develop other structures, such as margin and leverage, though that’s more of a longer-term plan. It would help us move toward a more institutional trading profile.

Valor: How do you see your entry into the Brazilian market?

Lara: We’re just beginning to explore. There’s nothing like Kalshi in Brazil today, just betting platforms or derivative markets, which is where the U.S. was before Kalshi. We want to find a way to bring our model to Brazil, using what we’ve learned in the U.S. But it’ll depend on our lawyers and regulatory review. Nothing has been finalized yet.

Read more here: https://valorinternational.globo.com...on-plans.ghtml

[ocreditor]

Kalshi’s Brazil interest shows how fast prediction markets are blurring the line between betting, trading, and regulation.

[eenzoo]

Kalshi’s Brazil interest shows how fast prediction markets are blurring the line between betting, trading, and regulation.

... sweepstake 2.0

[ocreditor]

... sweepstake 2.0

Yeap..

[Pokerface]

Very interesting article/interview with Luana. Thanks for sharing.

[Spenser]

Brazil is clearly the main focus for 2026. With the new regulations coming into play, there is going to be a massive scramble for localized Portuguese content that meets the legal requirements. It’s a huge opportunity for operators who can get their educational content right early on.