By PredictQ Team // Updated: July 2026
Signing up for Kalshi takes 10 to 30 minutes from first click to first trade. Most of that is identity verification, which is largely out of your hands and usually quick. Because Kalshi is a federally regulated exchange rather than a sportsbook, there are a few more verification steps than you may be used to. This guide covers the full flow: what documents you need, what to expect during KYC, and how to set the account up so you’re ready to trade instead of just staring at the interface.
Before You Start: What You’ll Need
Have these ready:
An email address you can check immediately for verification codes
A phone number that receives SMS
A government-issued photo ID (driver’s license or passport)
Your Social Security Number (required for US tax reporting)
A funding source: bank credentials, debit card, or crypto wallet
A few uninterrupted minutes. The verification flow does not love being paused halfway through.
Step 1: Start the Sign-Up
Go to kalshi.com to begin. Signing up through this link applies the current Kalshi promo code automatically, which qualifies you for the standing Trade $10, Get $10 new-user bonus once you finish verification and place your qualifying trades.
Click “Sign Up” and enter your email, a password (strong one, this is a financial account), and your phone number. Kalshi emails you a six-digit code. Enter it and keep moving.
Step 2: Personal Information
Next comes the legal stuff: full name, date of birth, home address (must match your ID), and Social Security Number.
The SSN requirement catches new users off guard every time. It’s standard for a CFTC-regulated exchange. Schwab and Fidelity require an SSN to open a brokerage account, and Kalshi requires it for the same reason: the platform issues Form 1099-B for tax reporting. The number is encrypted at rest and never displayed back to you.
Step 3: Verify Your Phone
Kalshi texts a code to the number you provided. Enter it. This also enables multi-factor authentication for future logins. Leave that on.
Step 4: Upload Your ID
The longest step. Upload a photo of a government-issued ID, most commonly a US driver’s license or passport. Make the photo well-lit, sharp, showing all four corners, and free of glare.
Most flows also require a selfie holding the ID. Standard liveness verification to catch identity fraud. Hold the ID near your face and submit.
Verification completes within minutes for most users. Some accounts get flagged for extra review (name mismatches, address mismatches, recent record changes), which can add a few hours or occasionally a day or two. If that happens, Kalshi emails you next steps.
Step 5: Fund the Account
Once you’re verified, deposit. Each method has a tradeoff:
ACH bank transfer: free, settles in 1-3 business days, though most users see funds available for trading quickly. The right default.
Debit card (Visa/Mastercard): instant, up to 2% fee. Use it when you want to trade immediately.
Apple Pay / Google Pay: behaves like debit, same fee on debit-backed sources.
Wire transfer: free, $1,000 minimum. For larger deposits.
PayPal / Venmo: US users, generally instant.
Cash App: US users, generally instant. Deposit only, no withdrawals back to Cash App.
Crypto: routed through Zero Hash, fast, third-party fees possible.
Minimum deposit is $10 on most methods. If you’re chasing the new-user bonus, you only need enough to cover your qualifying trades.
Our recommendation for a first deposit: ACH if you can wait a beat, debit card if you can’t and don’t mind the fee.
Step 6: Your First Trade
This is where it stops being paperwork. The home page surfaces trending markets, and the Explore tab filters by category: Politics, Economics, Sports, Climate, Tech, Culture. Click into any market for the order book, recent trades, and resolution rules.
Three things to check before you click Buy:
The resolution rule. Every market settles by a written rule. Read it and make sure you know exactly what triggers Yes versus No. Skipping this is the single most common source of preventable losses for new users.
The spread. Best Yes price plus best No price should land close to $1.00, with the overshoot being the market’s implicit spread. Tight spread means liquidity. Wide spread means you’re paying extra to get in and out.
Recent volume. Hundreds of thousands in cumulative volume means a liquid, well-priced market. Two hundred dollars of volume means your order might move the price by itself.
Then pick Yes or No, enter your size in contracts or dollars, and choose your order type. Quick orders fill immediately at the best available price and pay the higher taker fee. Limit orders wait at your price and pay a quarter of that. Speed costs money; patience earns a discount.
Step 7: Lock Down the Account
Two quick items before you wander off. Confirm two-factor authentication is on. This is a financial account and deserves the same treatment as your brokerage. Then set up notifications in account settings so you get alerts when orders fill, watched markets move, or positions resolve.
What Happens Next
You’re in. The promo bonus credits once you cross $10 in cumulative trades. Positions live in your Portfolio tab, where you can watch them, add to them, or sell out before resolution.
The best thing a new user can do in week one is trade small across several categories and pay attention to where your reads are sharpest. The account setup takes half an hour. Finding your edge is the part that pays.
Ready to start? Claim the Kalshi $10 offer →
Disclosures: PredictQ may receive compensation when readers sign up for platforms through links on this page. Information accurate as of July 2026. Prediction market regulation is evolving and state availability may change. Event contract trading involves substantial risk and is not appropriate for all participants. This content is for informational purposes only. Must be 18 or older. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.