Coinbase is suing Connecticut, Michigan, and Illinois, arguing that state regulators cannot oversee prediction markets that fall under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's authority. The lawsuits come as Coinbase prepares to launch its own prediction market platform in January 2026 through Kalshi, which is already CFTC-registered. The company claims state actions threaten its operations and violate federal law.

Michael Selig, the new chair of the CFTC, has introduced an innovation committee to explore regulation of prediction markets and digital assets. This move coincides with ongoing Congressional discussions about expanding the agency's authority in the crypto space, amid rising concerns over insider trading in prediction markets.