Understanding the business model at ForecastEx
ForecastEx is a subsidiary of Interactive Brokers and the site first launched in 2024. ForecastEx is a CFTC-regulated DCM (Designated Contract Market) and DCO (Derivative Clearing Organization) which operates independently to provide prediction markets, which are known on the platform as Forecast Contracts.
These Forecast Contracts are provided and collateralized by professional FCMs (Futures Commission Merchants) and offered to retail traders via two designated Broker sites, which are Interactive Brokers and Robinhood.
If you already have a trading account with either of these brands, you will be able to access Forecast Contracts alongside the traditional trading instruments offered by each Broker. Alternatively, you will need to sign up and open an account with one of them.
More about Forecast Contracts
When you visit ForecastEx the first section of text you’ll see when you land on the homepage contains this sentence:
“Forecast Contracts let you tap into crowd wisdom to answer questions about key economic, political, and climate events.”
That’s a great way of explaining the concept of the ForecastEx prediction markets you’ll find here.
Forecast Contracts at ForecastEx work in the same way as the event contracts you would find if you use a PredictIt prediction markets promo code. Each contract has only two outcomes, with probabilities for each that always add up to 100%. Here’s an example from the Environment category for you:
“Will 2035 be the warmest year on record?”
This is something of an extreme example as it spans almost a decade, but nonetheless it has gained a decent level of interest from traders, and the current probabilities stand at 52% Yes, 48% No.
Those probabilities are not defined by the brand, they represent the opinion of all the traders who have purchased a contract. As such, they won’t remain fixed, as more people answer the question, either side could go up or down.
Simple answers to simple questions
As you’ve seen, Forecast Contracts are really easy to understand, but ForecastEx has simplified things even further by wording the contract-related questions in such a way that the answer can only be Yes or No. You will find Forecast Contracts for a variety of global events, which can be categorized as economics, politics, and climate, although the brand’s menu filters them down further into seven different sections:
- Conditional
- Economic Indicators
- Elections
- Environment
- Financial Markets
- Government
- Technology
No sports-related Forecast Contracts
ForecastEx no longer has a sports category, having made the decision to stop offering this type of contract in May 2026. This is another area where ForecastEx is very different from its competition, as most other prediction trading sites put a heavy emphasis on sports prediction markets. For example, if you use a Novig prediction market promo code, you’ll find that the site only offers sports predictions trading.
Low ForecastEx fees
Unusually, when you buy a Forecast Contract you will also pay a fee at the time of purchase. Most other brands deduct them from the payout for successful contracts after the event has resolved. ForecastEx fees are set at just $0.01 per contract, which is around 50% less than rival brands.
Smart investment predictions on ForecastEx
ForecastEx’s markets across multiple topics
Incentive programs for ForecastEx Members
You can only become a Member at ForecastEx if you are employed by, or nominated by, a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) or own and operate a trading company. You must also be able to deposit $250,000 at ForecastEx as collateral, and be willing to provide audited accounts. In the event that you are accepted you will receive certain benefits:
Monthly Member Vouchers
As mentioned all ForecastEx Members are required to deposit $250,000. These deposits are invested by ForecastEx and all of the interest accrued is distributed between eligible Members each month as an Incentive Coupon.
Each Member’s collateral would be invested in multiple projects. For this reason the amount due to each Member is calculated daily, based on the proportion of their collateral that has been invested into each project, and the interest rate applicable to each related investment.
ForecastEx Liquidity Incentive Program
The ForecastEx Liquidity Incentive Program was created to promote market depth and liquidity. The brand offers cash rewards to traders in return for passively maintaining eligible orders within selected prediction markets.
ForecastEx constantly monitors all resting orders on the platform and scores them according to size and trading activity. There is a cash pool assigned for each program period, and when it ends, traders are rewarded with a pro rata share based on their overall contribution.
Market Maker incentives
There is also an incentive program for Market Makers at ForecastEx which again is intended to promote market liquidity. However, this program is not suitable for the average retail trader. It requires a good deal of trading expertise, and a high level of commitment to fulfil the requirements set out by ForecastEx.
Interested parties are invited to contact ForecastEx via email for further information, or to submit an application, there is no further information provided.
The sign up process at ForecastEx
You’ve already seen that ForecastEx isn’t a typical prediction markets site, so it should come as no surprise to find that the brand’s sign up process follows a different pattern too. Here are the first steps you’ll need to take:
- Visit the official ForecastEx site using the link on the banners of this page
- Click on the yellow ‘Find A Broker’ button located at the top right of the homepage
- Choose either Interactive Brokers or Robinhood by clicking on the relevant icon
Of course, you may wish to visit both of these Broker’s sites first to establish which of them you prefer. Interactive Brokers is already allied with ForecastEx as part of the IBKR ‘ecosystem’ whereas Robinhood is simply a Broker that ForecastEx has nominated to offer its Forecast Contracts.
Completing KYC verification is not optional
Once you’ve made your decision, you will need to open an account at your chosen Broker’s site, and complete KYC verification. This process typically requires uploading official documents to verify your ID and to confirm your status as a permanent US resident.
You might also be asked to confirm details about your employer, job role, and income, which may result in needing you to provide proof that you have a bank account in your sole name.
Make economic forecasts with ForecastEx
Real-time market trading on ForecastEx
Do either of ForecastEx’s nominated brokers offer a sign up bonus?
The good news is that both Interactive Brokers and Robinhood currently offer new traders a bonus that can be used to trade Forecast Contracts. There’s no specific Interactive Brokers promo code for prediction markets needed, and the same applies for Robinhood at the time of writing.
Both brands are offering an identical no deposit new trader bonus, which gives you $10 worth of trading credit, which you can use to buy ForecastEx Forecast Contracts.
As an existing trader you may have access to further Broker promotions in the future. For example Interactive Brokers has a referral program which works in the same way as the Kalshi referral code, where both the referrer and the referee receive rewards.
Tips for making the most of ForecastEx
As explained, you cannot trade Forecast Contracts on the ForecastEx platform, and there are no bonuses you can claim here as a retail trader. However, that does not diminish the impact of what this prediction markets platform offers, or the value that the information on it will bring to your trading experience. On that theme, here are a few things you might want to keep in mind:
There are no bonuses on offer at ForecastEx, but you do have alternatives
The main takeaway from this guide to ForecastEx promotions is that there are no incentives for retail traders. This is due to the brand’s business model, which is to act as an intermediary between professional FCMs and its approved Brokers. You can choose from Interactive Brokers or Robinhood to access the ForecastEx prediction markets, and both offer an identical $10 no deposit sign up bonus for new traders.
However, the first thing you should do is to take a look at ForecastEx and reassure yourself that the prediction markets on offer fit your needs. Next, you will need to explore IBKR and Robinhood and decide which one you prefer. For convenience, you will find links to all three sites detailed on the banners around this page.
