Pentagon posts first UAP files; Polymarket bets top $33M

The Pentagon released its first tranche of declassified files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena on Friday, and crypto-native prediction markets reacted within minutes. Polymarket’s cumulative volume on disclosure-related markets exceeded $33 million after the posting.

The Department of War launched the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE) and posted “Release 01” to a public WAR.GOV/UFO portal on May 8. The department’s announcement said additional tranches will be published every few weeks and invited private-sector analysis of unresolved cases.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted on social media that the department is “in lockstep with President Trump to bring unprecedented transparency regarding our government’s understanding of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena.” The post accompanied the initial release.

Polymarket traders concentrated on a set of markets tied to disclosure outcomes. One market asking whether a senior U.S. official will confirm extraterrestrial life by year-end traded around 19% after Release 01. A separate market on whether President Trump would declassify new UFO files by Dec. 31 was priced at about 83%, indicating bettors expect more rolling tranches rather than a single, dramatic release.

An earlier $16 million market on whether the administration would declassify UFO files in 2025 resolved “Yes.” That resolution followed late-session bids near $0.99 and a contested UMA oracle vote. Users on the platform accused the dispute mechanism of favoring large token holders and questioned how oracle votes overrode other activity.

The contested 2025 resolution revived debate about how on-chain oracles determine final outcomes when token-weighted votes conflict with trader positions. Platform mechanics and dispute processes affect which side receives payout when results are ambiguous or disputed.

Officials said they will post further tranches every few weeks. Traders and analysts are monitoring both the content of future releases and the resolution mechanics on prediction platforms, as each could affect market pricing and future disputes over outcomes.