NOW Wallet Adds Perpetual Futures and Prediction Markets

NOW Wallet, a non-custodial crypto wallet, launched direct in-app access to perpetual futures and prediction markets on May 21, 2026. The integration consolidates advanced derivatives trading alongside the wallet's existing security and multi-chain features, reducing friction for traders who previously had to navigate separate platforms.

The move reflects a broader trend in crypto wallet design: moving from simple asset storage to a full-featured trading hub. Perpetual futures and prediction markets serve distinct purposes. Perpetual futures are leveraged contracts that track an asset's price in real-time, allowing traders to bet on price direction with up to 100x leverage on some platforms. Prediction markets settle based on discrete outcomes: will Bitcoin close above $70,000 on a specific date? Yes or no. The two products appeal to different trader profiles and risk appetites.

Prediction markets have captured an increasing share of crypto derivatives volume in recent months. Platforms like Polymarket have moved beyond niche usage into mainstream awareness, particularly after high-profile political betting events. This structural shift suggests traders are finding value in binary outcome markets that differ fundamentally from perpetual futures' continuous price tracking model. In perpetual futures, the question is "will BTC go up?" In prediction markets, it becomes "will BTC close above X by date Y?" That distinction matters for strategy and risk management.

For NOW Wallet, the integration addresses a core pain point: wallet fragmentation. Users previously had to maintain accounts across multiple platforms to access different derivatives products. Now they can execute both perpetual trades and prediction market bets without leaving the wallet interface. The non-custodial model means NOW retains no control over user funds, a key selling point for security-conscious traders who want to avoid centralized exchange counterparty risk.

The integration introduces complexity. Perpetual futures and prediction markets carry different liquidation mechanics, funding rates, and settlement processes. Retail users unfamiliar with derivatives trading could easily confuse the two products or miscalculate risk exposure when both are available in a single interface. Leverage mismanagement remains a leading cause of losses in crypto derivatives, and embedding perpetual futures directly into a wallet application increases the surface area for user error.

Regulatory headwinds add another layer of uncertainty. Prediction markets have faced legal challenges in certain jurisdictions, particularly in the United States where the CFTC has scrutinized binary outcome betting on traditional assets. A non-custodial wallet offering prediction market access globally may attract regulatory attention, especially if prediction markets are eventually classified as unregistered derivatives exchanges.

The timing of NOW Wallet's move reflects market maturity in perpetual futures. Volume concentration on established perp platforms like dYdX, Hyperliquid, and Bybit suggests the market is consolidating. Prediction markets represent a newer frontier, and wallet providers integrating early may capture users before the space fragments across competing platforms. Whether this is genuine innovation or a sign of saturation in traditional perpetual futures remains unclear.

For traders, the integration simplifies access but demands discipline. Perpetual futures and prediction markets require fundamentally different risk management approaches. Consolidating both into one wallet is convenient, but convenience in derivatives trading can be dangerous.