Kalshi's standing new-user offer is a deposit match — fund your account up to a capped amount and Kalshi adds matching cash credit. The exact match percentage and cap rotate quarterly, so the most accurate number is always whatever shows in your account at signup. The path to claim it is the same every quarter.
Mistakes that void the bonus
- Signing up direct. If you land on kalshi.com without a referral link, no bonus is attached. There is usually no way to add it after the fact.
- Funding before KYC. Some quarters require KYC completion first. Verify your identity, then deposit.
- Withdrawing before the volume requirement. The cash bonus is real cash, but typically has a small trading-volume requirement before you can pull it.
Texas residents: eligibility
Kalshi is legally available to Texans 21+ as a CFTC-regulated DCM (see is Kalshi legal in Texas?). The sign-up bonus is offered nationwide — Texas has no state-level restriction on it, and there is no state income tax to chip away at the credit when you eventually withdraw.
Kalshi vs Polymarket promos
Polymarket does not run a standing deposit-match for US users. Their promos lean toward fee rebatesand trading rewards that pay out over weeks of activity. If you want a pure cash bonus on day one, Kalshi is the better pick. If you trade large size and want zero protocol fees long term, Polymarket's ongoing rebates can outweigh a one-off bonus.
Start with $1
Kalshi's minimum deposit is $1, but most deposit-match bonuses require a small qualifying deposit — usually $25–$100 — to unlock the full match. New to event contracts? How to use Kalshi from Texas →
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