Augur is a decentralised prediction market platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. It allows users to create markets for any verifiable future event and speculate on the outcomes using Ethereum.
Augur operates by allowing users to create markets for any verifiable event. Participants buy and sell shares representing different outcomes using Ethereum. After the event occurs, designated oracles, known as reporters, stake REP tokens to report the outcome. Winning predictions are automatically paid out through smart contracts.
Augur can be used for a variety of applications, including:
Augur was founded in 2014 by Jack Peterson and Joey Krug. Inspired by the closure of the InTrade prediction market in the USA, they aimed to create a decentralised prediction market. Significant milestones include launching its first smart contract in 2015, conducting one of the first ICOs on Ethereum, and releasing its v1 and v2 versions in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Over the years, Augur has grown significantly and remains one of the leading decentralised prediction market platforms.