Vitalik Buterin Critiques Prediction Markets, Urges Long‑Term Hedging, Feb 14, 2026

On Feb. 14, 2026, Vitalik Buterin cautioned that prediction markets are skewing toward short-term crypto and sports bets and urged a shift to long‑term hedging tools. He outlined using markets to offset real‑world risks and stabilize purchasing power. Over the past year, sector volumes grew roughly fourfold, according to CertiK.