> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.polymarket.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Liquidity Rewards
> Earn rewards for providing liquidity on Polymarket
By posting resting limit orders, liquidity providers (makers) are automatically eligible for Polymarket's incentive program. Rewards are distributed directly to maker addresses daily at midnight UTC.
The program is designed to:
* Catalyze liquidity across all markets
* Encourage liquidity throughout a market's entire lifecycle
* Motivate passive, balanced quoting tight to a market's midpoint
* Encourage trading activity
* Discourage blatantly exploitative behaviors
The minimum reward payout is **\$1**; amounts below this will not be paid.
Both `min_incentive_size` and `max_incentive_spread` can be fetched alongside
full market objects via the CLOB API and [Markets
API](/market-data/fetching-markets). Reward allocations for an epoch can also
be fetched via the Markets API.
***
## Methodology
Liquidity providers are rewarded based on a formula that rewards participation in markets, boosts two-sided depth (single-sided orders still score), and tighter spread vs the size-cutoff-adjusted midpoint. Each market configures a max spread and min size cutoff within which orders are considered. The average of rewards earned is determined by the relative share of each participant's Qn in market m.
### Variables
| Variable | Description |
| -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| S | Order position scoring function |
| v | Max spread from midpoint (in cents) |
| s | Spread from size-cutoff-adjusted midpoint |
| b | In-game multiplier |
| m | Market |
| m' | Market complement (i.e. NO if m = YES) |
| n | Trader index |
| u | Sample index |
| c | Scaling factor (currently 3.0 on all markets) |
| Qne | Point total for book one for a sample |
| Qno | Point total for book two for a sample |
| Spread% | Distance from midpoint (bps or relative) for order n in market m |
| BidSize | Share-denominated quantity of bid |
| AskSize | Share-denominated quantity of ask |
***
## Equations
### 1. Order Scoring Function
Quadratic scoring rule for an order based on position between the adjusted midpoint and the minimum qualifying spread:
$S(v,s)= (\frac{v-s}{v})^2 \cdot b$
### 2. First Market Side Score
$Q_{one}= S(v,Spread_{m_1}) \cdot BidSize_{m_1} + S(v,Spread_{m_2}) \cdot BidSize_{m_2} + \dots $
$ + S(v, Spread_{m^\prime_1}) \cdot AskSize_{m^\prime_1} + S(v, Spread_{m^\prime_2}) \cdot AskSize_{m^\prime_2}$
### 3. Second Market Side Score
$Q_{two}= S(v,Spread_{m_1}) \cdot AskSize_{m_1} + S(v,Spread_{m_2}) \cdot AskSize_{m_2} + \dots $
$ + S(v, Spread_{m^\prime_1}) \cdot BidSize_{m^\prime_1} + S(v, Spread_{m^\prime_2}) \cdot BidSize_{m^\prime_2}$
### 4. Minimum Score
Boosts two-sided liquidity by taking the minimum of Qne and Qno, while still rewarding single-sided liquidity at a reduced rate (divided by c).
**If midpoint is in range \[0.10, 0.90]** — single-sided liquidity can score:
$Q_{\min} = \max(\min({Q_{one}, Q_{two}}), \max(Q_{one}/c, Q_{two}/c))$
**If midpoint is in range \[0, 0.10) or (0.90, 1.0]** — liquidity must be double-sided to score:
$Q_{\min} = \min({Q_{one}, Q_{two}})$
### 5. Normalized Score
Qmin of a market maker divided by the sum of all Qmin across market makers in a given sample:
$Q_{normal} = \frac{Q_{min}}{\sum_{n=1}^{N}{(Q_{min})_n}}$
### 6. Epoch Score
Sum of all Qnormal for a trader across all samples in an epoch:
$Q_{epoch} = \sum_{u=1}^{10,080}{(Q_{normal})_u}$
### 7. Final Score
Normalizes Qepoch by dividing by the sum of all market makers' Qepoch in a given epoch. This value is multiplied by the rewards available for the market to get a trader's reward:
$Q_{final}=\frac{Q_{epoch}}{\sum_{n=1}^{N}{(Q_{epoch})_n}}$
***
## Worked Example
Assume an adjusted market midpoint of 0.50 and a max spread config of 3 cents for both m and m'.
### Step 2 - First Side Score
A trader has the following open orders:
* 100Q bid on m @ 0.49 (spread = 1 cent)
* 200Q bid on m @ 0.48 (spread = 2 cents)
* 100Q ask on m' @ 0.51 (spread = 1 cent)
$$
Q_{ne} = \left( \frac{(3-1)}{3} \right)^2 \cdot 100 + \left( \frac{(3-2)}{3} \right)^2 \cdot 200 + \left( \frac{(3-1)}{3} \right)^2 \cdot 100
$$
Qne is calculated every minute using random sampling.
### Step 3 - Second Side Score
The same trader also has:
* 100Q bid on m @ 0.485 (spread = 1.5 cents)
* 100Q bid on m' @ 0.48 (spread = 2 cents)
* 200Q ask on m' @ 0.505 (spread = 0.5 cents)
$$
Q_{no} = \left( \frac{(3-1.5)}{3} \right)^2 \cdot 100 + \left( \frac{(3-2)}{3} \right)^2 \cdot 100 + \left( \frac{(3-.5)}{3} \right)^2 \cdot 200
$$
Qno is calculated every minute using random sampling.
### Steps 4-7
4. Take the minimum of Qne and Qno (with single-sided adjustment if midpoint is in \[0.10, 0.90])
5. Normalize against all other market makers in the sample
6. Sum across all 10,080 samples in the epoch
7. Normalize again to get final reward share
***
## World Cup 2026 — Liquidity Incentive Program
Polymarket is distributing liquidity incentives for World Cup 2026 markets from June 11 through July 19, 2026. Rewards are split into **Pre** (pre-game) and **Live** (in-play) periods per game.
The values below are configured reward caps. Actual payouts depend on eligible
quoting and the reward methodology above.
### Stage Pools
| Stage | Pre \$/Game | Live \$/Game | Total \$/Game |
| --------------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ------------- |
| Group Stage | \$2,139 | \$3,971 | \$6,110 |
| Group Stage — Marquee | \$3,754 | \$6,971 | \$10,725 |
| Round of 32 | \$4,778 | \$8,872 | \$13,650 |
| Round of 16 | \$6,370 | \$11,830 | \$18,200 |
| Quarterfinals | \$9,442 | \$17,533 | \$26,975 |
| Semifinals | \$13,423 | \$24,927 | \$38,350 |
| Third Place | \$5,460 | \$10,140 | \$15,600 |
| Final | \$18,200 | \$33,800 | \$52,000 |
***
## Next Steps
Order entry and quoting best practices
Earn USDC rebates on eligible crypto and sports markets