Kalshi‘s welcome bonus is live for new US traders this week, arriving just as the 2026 World Cup prepares to kick off on home soil. New sign-ups who use the Kalshi promo code SQUAWKA and trade $10 on a qualifying market get a $10 bonus credited on top, effectively doubling the first stake.
The timing matters. Event contracts have surged into the mainstream over the past 12 months, and Kalshi, federally regulated as a designated contract market, has been one of the platforms driving that shift. The promo code SQUAWKA needs to be entered at sign-up; the bonus then triggers once that first qualifying trade settles.
Here is how the offer works, who can claim it, and what is moving on the platform right now.
Kalshi Promo Code 2026: The Offer at a Glance
21+ only. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2573). Chat available at ncpgambling.org/chat
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Promo / referral code | SQUAWKA |
| Welcome offer | Trade $10, Get $10 bonus |
| Maximum bonus | $10 in bonus credit |
| Product type | CFTC-designated contract market |
| Eligibility | 21+, legal US address (availability varies by state) |
| Squawka rating | 9.5 / 10 |
The structure is refreshingly straightforward. There is no convoluted rollover, no sportsbook-style site credit that pays out in restricted tokens. Trade $10 on any eligible market and Kalshi adds $10 in bonus credit, ready to be deployed across the platform.
For a full breakdown of the platform, the fees and the markets on offer, our Kalshi review covers the small print behind the welcome bonus.
How to Claim the Kalshi Welcome Offer
21+ only. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2573). Chat available at ncpgambling.org/chat
Claiming the bonus is a five-step process, and the code has to go in at sign-up rather than later.
- Open a new account through the Kalshi sign-up page.
- Register with a valid US residential address and complete identity verification.
- Enter the promo code SQUAWKA when prompted during registration.
- Fund your account and place a qualifying trade of $10 on any eligible Kalshi market.
- Once that trade settles, Kalshi credits the $10 bonus to your account.
Claim the Kalshi welcome offer with code SQUAWKA
What Is Kalshi, and How Is It Different?
Kalshi is a federally regulated event contracts exchange. Rather than placing a wager against a bookmaker’s line, traders buy and sell shares in the outcome of a future event at a price that reflects its implied probability. A contract trading at 58 cents implies roughly a 58% market belief in that outcome, with each correctly resolved share paying out at $1.
It is the regulatory framework that sets Kalshi apart. It operates as a CFTC-designated contract market, the same formal classification used for financial futures exchanges, which is why it has been able to expand into sports event contracts where prediction-market peers have faced restrictions. If the model is new to you, our explainer on what Kalshi is and how it works covers the mechanics in detail, and our guide to the best prediction markets places it alongside the alternatives, including a sibling welcome offer in our Polymarket promo code roundup.
One thing to be clear about: this is real capital at risk. The welcome bonus lowers the cost of getting set up, but contract prices can move against a position as easily as for it.
Who Can Use the Kalshi Promo Code?
The Kalshi welcome offer is open to new users aged 21 and over with a legal US residential address. Because Kalshi sits under CFTC oversight rather than state-by-state gaming licensing, the platform itself is available more broadly than most US sportsbooks, though the availability of individual markets (notably sports event contracts) can vary by state as the regulatory picture evolves.
Before you fund the account, it is worth checking the current eligibility terms on the operator’s sign-up page so there are no surprises after registration.
What Kalshi Traders Are Backing Right Now
The bonus arrives at a busy moment on the exchange. Sports event contracts around the 2026 World Cup are drawing fresh volume, and we track the live picture for the tournament in our World Cup 2026 prediction market tracker, refreshed as the money moves.
Beyond the tournament, individual awards markets have also pulled in serious interest. Our Ballon d’Or 2026 Kalshi tracker reads the race for the sport’s individual prize through live exchange pricing, a useful look at how a prediction market behaves around a single, well-defined outcome before you commit your own stake.
With a home World Cup approaching and the welcome bonus live, the next few weeks are set to be among the most active the US prediction markets have ever seen.
FAQs
The current Kalshi promo code is SQUAWKA. Enter it during sign-up to unlock a Trade $10, Get $10 welcome bonus.
Yes. Kalshi operates as a CFTC-designated contract market, the most formal regulatory tier for event contracts in the United States. Availability of specific markets can vary by state.
Enter the promo code SQUAWKA at sign-up, then trade $10 on a qualifying Kalshi market. Once that trade settles, Kalshi credits a $10 bonus to your account.
The bonus triggers once you have traded $10 on an eligible market. Check the current terms on the sign-up page before funding your account, as conditions can change.
A sportsbook offers fixed odds with a built-in margin. Kalshi is an event contracts exchange: you buy and sell shares in an outcome at a price that reflects its implied probability, trading against other users rather than the house.
21+. Kalshi is a federally regulated event contracts exchange and trading involves real financial risk. Offer terms accurate at the time of writing and may change. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER. Free, confidential support is available at ncpgambling.org.
*Using prediction market links on squawka.com may earn us a commission, at no additional cost to you. 21+ only. T&Cs apply. Please play responsibly.