Mamdani takes sardonic view of Polymarket’s ‘free grocery store’ stunt in New York

Cryptocurrency-based prediction market announced it would open store in apparent nod to mayor's signature policy

Zohran Mamdani made city-operated grocery stores a key pledge of his campaign for mayor of New York City. So when one company seemed to muscle in on the idea this week, apparently as a PR stunt, Mamdani was quick to reply.

Polymarket, the cryptocurrency-based prediction market, announced on Tuesday it would be opening New York City's first free grocery store," seemingly a nod to the mayor's signature policy. In a statement the firm said it hoped to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good", and that it had donated $1m to the Food Bank for NYC.