Module 01
Data Transparency
Polymarket operates on a hybrid model where order matching happens off-chain, but all settlements and fund movements occur on the Polygon network. This creates multiple layers of publicly accessible data.
Hybrid Architecture
Polygon L2 + CLOB Hybrid
Polymarket uses an off-chain matching engine for fast, zero-gas-cost order placement, combined with on-chain settlement on Polygon. This means every completed trade leaves a permanent, auditable trail on the blockchain, while the order book provides real-time market microstructure data through the CLOB API.
Network
Polygon L2
Model
CLOB Hybrid
Collateral
USDC
// Data Access Layers
Public
On-Chain (Polygon)
Source: Polygonscan / Block Explorers
- ■Wallet addresses & balances
- ■Trade settlement transactions
- ■Token minting & burning events
- ■Historical profit & loss
- ■Gas usage patterns
Public
Off-Chain (CLOB API)
Source: Polymarket REST API
- ■Real-time order book depth
- ■Individual trade details (taker/maker)
- ■Precise timestamps
- ■Market metadata & conditions
- ■Price history & OHLCV data
Public
Leaderboard
Source: Polymarket UI / Analytics
- ■Top-performing wallets
- ■Profit rankings by period
- ■Volume & win rate metrics
- ■Market category performance
Hidden
Private Signals
Source: Proprietary / Internal
- ■Private polling data
- ■Specialized weather models
- ■Insider information feeds
- ■Proprietary ML model outputs
// On-Chain vs Off-Chain Comparison Matrix
| Attribute | On-Chain | Off-Chain | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade History | Full settlement records | Detailed maker/taker data | Public |
| Order Book | Not available | Real-time depth & spreads | Public |
| Wallet Identity | Pseudonymous (0x...) | Linked to CLOB accounts | Public |
| Timestamps | Block-level (~2s) | Millisecond precision | Public |
| Order Placement | Not recorded | API logs available | Partial |
| Cancelled Orders | Not recorded | Visible via API | Partial |
| Strategy Logic | Must be inferred | Must be inferred | Hidden |
| Private Data Feeds | Not available | Not available | Hidden |
Key API Endpoints
GET
/prices-historyGET
/tradesGET
/bookGET
/markets