Glossary › Settlement
Checked September 25, 2026 · 4 sources · plain-English definition, not financial advice
Settlement: The step after a Kalshi market's result is determined, when each winning contract is paid $1 into your cash balance.
Settlement is when Kalshi pays out. Its API documentation says Yes holders receive $1 per contract on a Yes outcome, No holders $1 per contract on a No outcome, and only net positions are settled. Kalshi's rulebook defines settlement as payment to traders who have the right to receive money under a contract held until expiration.
The sequence runs like this: trading closes, Kalshi determines the result from the source named in the rules, a settlement timer runs during which the result can be disputed, and then positions are paid and the market is finalized. Kalshi's help center says most markets settle within a few hours after the outcome is known, often within about 3 hours, and later when a source agency is slow to publish.
Example: you hold 50 No contracts bought at 20¢ ($10.00). The event does not happen, so settlement credits $50.00 to your cash balance, a $40.00 gain before trading fees; Kalshi's API documentation says settlement fees are zero for simple yes/no results. What to check: the determination time in the rules, because a market that is still open after the event is not proof of the result.
How Kalshi settles its markets · Kalshi payout calculator
Checked September 25, 2026. Kalshi changes fees, rules, funding options and limits; the market's rules, the order ticket and Kalshi's help center are the final word.
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