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The steps
A proposer picks the winning outcome, posts the bond and submits it. A correct, undisputed proposer gets the bond back plus a reward. A disputer posts a matching counter-bond, which starts a new proposal round, or a debate period if the market is already in its second round. After the debate, UMA token holders vote.
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Challenge period | 2 hours |
| Debate period (if disputed) | 24-48 hours |
| UMA voting (if disputed) | about 48 hours |
Phases of a UMA resolution that can be disputed. Source: docs.polymarket.com/concepts/resolution, checked .
Resolution of an undisputed proposal takes about 2 hours after the proposal, and a disputed one 4-6 days in total.
What can go wrong
A proposal that is wrong or made too early costs you the whole bond. A vote can also end with no applicable outcome, in which case the market resolves 50/50 and each token redeems for $0.50. In rare cases Polymarket may add "Additional context" to a market's rules after trading starts. Such a clarification cannot change the intent of the question.
Which markets use it
Not every market goes through UMA. Polymarket's Resolution page names two sources: UMA's oracle for prediction markets and a Chainlink TWAP for up-down markets. Polymarket 101 adds that markets built on Protocol V2 can also use other resolution mechanisms, and the Contracts page shows that results go from reporter modules through an OracleAggregator to the module that owns the condition. The resolution data names the reporter families as UMA_OO, CHAINLINK or EOA, and the pages do not say which markets use which reporter.
Crypto Up/Down markets have no proposal or dispute step, because a Chainlink TWAP decides them. Polymarket's documentation tells traders to read each market's resolution rules before trading, because the rules and not the title define how it resolves. The DVM entry covers the vote itself.
Sources and checks
Every rule quoted in this article comes from the registry below. Each row names the official page and the day it was compared with the text.
All 11 rules used in this article
| Rule | Value | Official source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical bond to propose or dispute a resolution | $750 pUSD | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| What happens after a second dispute | is settled by a vote of UMA token holders through the DVM (Data Verification Mechanism) | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| Time to resolve an undisputed UMA proposal | about 2 hours | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| Time to resolve a disputed UMA proposal | 4-6 days | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| A wrong or early proposal | costs you the whole bond | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| Payout per token when a UMA vote ends 50/50 | $0.50 | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| Resolution sources named on the Resolution page (other pages mention further resolution mechanisms) | UMA's oracle for prediction markets and a Chainlink TWAP for up-down markets | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| Resolution mechanisms of Protocol V2 markets | can also use other resolution mechanisms | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| How results reach a Protocol V2 market | results go from reporter modules through an OracleAggregator to the module that owns the condition | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| Reporter families named in a resolution row | UMA_OO, CHAINLINK or EOA | docs.polymarket.com/ | |
| Phases of a UMA resolution that can be disputed | UMA resolution timeline | docs.polymarket.com/ |
Related terms
Read the full guide
Basics · 10 min
How Polymarket Markets Resolve: UMA Process
How a Polymarket market resolves through the UMA oracle: the rules that decide it, proposals and bonds, disputes, the vote, and what winners redeem.
PolyTerminal is an independent interface for Polymarket and is not operated or endorsed by Polymarket. Orders placed through PolyTerminal carry PolyTerminal’s Polymarket builder code, and PolyTerminal may charge a builder fee on top of Polymarket’s own fees. This page is educational and is not investment advice. Rules were compared with the official documentation on Oct 19, 2026; check the source before you act on a number.