Quantitative#088

Probability Term-Structure Curve Trading

When one event is offered at many thresholds (e.g. BTC above 90k, 100k, 110k by the same date), the implied probabilities should fall in a smooth, consistent order. You fit a proper probability distribution to the whole ladder and trade any rung that's priced inconsistently with the others — for instance where a higher threshold is somehow priced more likely than a lower one. The edge is that the crowd prices each rung in isolation without enforcing a coherent overall curve.

What you need to run it

  • Snapshot of all strike/date nodes in a ladder
  • Parametric distribution fit (lognormal/spline) to implied CDF
  • Detector for monotonicity/convexity violations
  • Multi-leg execution to lock the corrected curve

Where this applies

Markets on Polymarket where probability term-structure curve trading is the natural play:

  • Will BTC exceed $130k / $150k / $175k by Dec 31, 2026? (trade across the ladder)
  • Will ETH exceed $6k / $8k / $10k by Dec 31, 2026?
  • Will the Fed cut by 25 / 50 / 75bps+ cumulatively by Dec 2027?

Capabilities this demands

Model / quantCustom code / APIMulti-venueSignificant capital

At a glance

CategoryQuantitative
Requirements4
CapabilitiesModel / quant, Custom code / API, Multi-venue, Significant capital
VenuePolymarket (CLOB, Polygon)

Build it

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This is documentation, not advice. Poly Research & Robotics publishes how these strategies work because the method should be checkable — not as a recommendation to trade them. See the full strategy database (147 strategies) or the data resources directory.
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