Mark Zuckerberg is developing a new app for the prediction market

Meta corporate leader Mark Zuckerberg is showing serious interest in the prediction market as a new direction to further expand the social network ecosystem. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

According to information published by The New York Times, the billionaire has approved the development of a separate mobile app called Arena within the company. This project is expected to resemble platforms like Polymarket, which have recently gained popularity due to their unique operating model.

This is reported by Techcrunch.com. The Arena project is expected to operate independently from other social networks within Meta.

However, platforms such as Facebook and Instagram could serve as channels to direct users to the new app. Although the project is currently in an experimental phase, Zuckerberg has designated it as one of the company’s top priorities.

In terms of virtual currency and game mechanics, Arena will not offer real-money earning opportunities in its initial phase. Instead, users will earn virtual points for making accurate predictions about the development of certain events.

While this approach makes the platform more like a video game, experts suggest that the system could later allow the integration of real monetary funds. The prediction market has experienced massive financial growth on a global scale over the past year.

For example, the trading volume on platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi reached tens of billions of dollars by April of this year. Such success is not leaving other tech giants indifferent.

In particular, X, the social network under Elon Musk’s management, entered into a partnership with Polymarket last year.

However, this sector is not only about revenue but also involves serious legal challenges.

Some U.S. states have fined and sued prediction markets for violating gambling laws. Additionally, cases of profiting from predictions using insider information are being monitored.

For instance, investigations involving former military personnel and politician George Santos, who allegedly benefited from information about an operation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, could serve as examples.

For Meta, the Arena project is not only a way to attract new users but also a convenient testing ground for exploring opportunities in artificial intelligence and data analysis.

For users in Uzbekistan, such platforms could evolve in the future into an interactive way to monitor global political and economic processes.

So far, Meta has not announced an official launch date for this initiative.