Verified Evidence: resolved · Fact Lock: locked · QA: pass
Polymarket allegedly allowed users to bet on whether HSBC and Lloyds could fail by the end of 2026, according to The Guardian. The affair has prompted calls for intervention by British authorities.

According to the British newspaper, positions have been opened on the possible failure of the two institutions by the end of 2026. The Guardian presents the case as a new source of concern related to the use of online prediction markets.

The total value of the reported positions amounts to $77,507, or £58,530, according to The Guardian's account. The figure concerns the bets described in the article and does not, in itself, constitute an assessment of the financial soundness of the two banking groups.

The report has prompted calls for UK authorities to intervene in the matter, The Guardian reports. However, the available material does not indicate that the authorities have already adopted or announced any specific measures.

At the center of the debate is the impact that online prediction markets may have on the integrity of the financial system, a concern reported by the British newspaper. The case therefore concerns not only the content of the individual bets, but also their possible significance in a regulated financial context.

The Guardian describes Polymarket as a US-owned company. However, the source does not identify the specific legal entities involved, an element that therefore remains unclear in the available material.

The presence of the bets does not demonstrate that HSBC or Lloyds are destined to fail: the material provided does not verify the likelihood of such an outcome. The established fact in the report is the existence of the positions reported on the platform and the calls for intervention directed at British authorities.

The Guardian article from which this information comes was published on October 3, 2026, according to the data provided. The available material contains no further independent sources confirming the case or updates on any response by the authorities.