Theory Protocol

The perpetual prediction engine

Theory combines elements of perpetual markets and prediction markets to facilitate real-time trading for predicting emergent events such as AI superintelligence, and major scientific and medical breakthroughs.

Open-ended markets with no expiry

Long/short perpetual exposure allows for convenient continuous exposure to an underlying narrative.

Composable structure

Markets are composed of various smaller predictions, providing open-ended granular market resolution.

Retroactive rewards for timely conviction

A reward pool accumulates and is retroactively paid out to recent longs on confirmed event completion.

Prediction feeds

External prediction data seeds factors and keeps each micro-market priced with live odds.

Example markets

Built for timing-sensitive, multi-stage events.

Each market publishes its milestone factors and the conservative final trigger. Longs are rewarded for being early; shorts pay to say “not yet” until the end-state is confirmed.

AGI achieved

Deadlines make AGI markets gameable; perps can’t resolve on achievement or pay for precursor evidence.

Approach: Theory defines factors for lab claims, benchmark batteries, replications, expert consensus, long-dated prediction market thresholds, and a conservative encyclopedia update as the final trigger.

Milestone path

  • Major lab claim → micro-payout
  • Benchmark suite exceeded → micro-payout
  • Independent replication → micro-payout
  • Expert consensus statement → micro-payout
  • Prediction markets >80% for 90 days → micro-payout
  • Encyclopedia/Wikipedia update → final payout

Cancer cure

Clinical timelines stretch for years; fixed expiries misprice progress and perps can’t resolve on approvals.

Approach: Factors cover Phase III success, replication, regulatory approval, guideline updates, prediction-market thresholds, and canonical medical references updating to ‘curable’.

Milestone path

  • Phase III durable remission → micro-payout
  • Independent replication → micro-payout
  • Regulatory approval → micro-payout
  • Guideline updates (NCCN/ESMO) → micro-payout
  • Prediction markets high for sustained period → micro-payout
  • Canonical reference update → final payout

Foundational physics

Paradigm shifts emerge through anomalies, replications, and society consensus; legacy markets expire before truth is settled.

Approach: Theory factors capture initial anomaly, multi-lab replication, peer-reviewed publication, society statements, prediction-market thresholds, and textbook updates as the final trigger.

Milestone path

  • Credible anomaly claim → micro-payout
  • Replication across labs → micro-payout
  • High-impact publication → micro-payout
  • Physics society recognition → micro-payout
  • Prediction markets sustained >X% → micro-payout
  • Textbook/encyclopedia update → final payout

Trade Your Theory

Trade Theory’s perpetual, milestone-aware markets. Earn for being early on every factor and on the conservative final confirmation.

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