Harris Secures Debate Lead Over Trump, Polymarket Bets Indicate

Despite the absence of cryptocurrency topics during the second 2024 presidential debate—the first between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump—Polymarket betting trends suggest Harris took the lead.

According to Polymarket prediction bets, Harris’ performance strengthened her position, though both candidates remain nearly tied in overall predictions for the election outcome. Harris slightly improved her odds during the debate, according to Polymarket contracts.

This was the second presidential debate of the 2024 election, and Harris’ campaign has already called for a third debate—another round between Harris and Trump. Once again, topics like cryptocurrency, general technology, or broader financial issues were largely absent, with most focus on economic matters.

Trump, sticking to his recent rhetoric, emphasized the benefits of tariffs, stating he would introduce “substantial tariffs” if re-elected. Harris countered by highlighting the trade deficit Trump left for the Biden administration, describing it as “one of the highest we’ve seen in history.”

Similar to an earlier debate between Trump and Joe Biden before Biden exited the race, fact-checkers such as CNN’s Daniel Dale reported that Trump made more inaccurate statements than Harris. At one point, Trump falsely claimed—according to The Wall Street Journal—that migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “eating the dogs.” This comment quickly spawned a few memecoins on the Pump.fun token platform, including tokens named Eating Dogs and Cats.

After the debate, pop star Taylor Swift endorsed Harris, praising her as a fighter for “the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion.”

Polymarket Betting Surges

Polymarket bettors had an active night, particularly after the debate opened with a surprising handshake between the two candidates. Prior to the event, bettors placed the odds of such a handshake at around 30%, with approximately $360,000 wagered on the possibility. The handshake—marking the first between Trump and an opponent since his 2016 debate with Hillary Clinton—delivered an unexpected result for many.