Meta shares traded near $562.20 and fell roughly 5.3% over the past five sessions as investors weighed a report that Meta may be developing a standalone prediction market application. The New York Times reported that Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has directed employees to build an experimental product that could eventually compete with platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi. Meta has assembled a small internal team to create a smartphone app known internally as Arena, which would function separately from Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. The initial version would rely on a points-based system instead of real-money wagering, though the possibility of future betting features has not been excluded. Meta declined to comment and has not publicly confirmed the plans. Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote on X: “Meta’s business model is profiting from addiction.” Prediction markets have emerged as one of the internet’s fastest-growing categories, and Meta could generate revenue from transaction fees, offering a business model differing from its dependence on advertising. Regulation remains a significant consideration.