POL
A leading Ethereum scaling solution providing faster and cheaper transactions through sidechains and ZK technology.
Polygon (formerly Matic Network) is a leading Ethereum scaling solution co-founded in 2017 by Jaynti Kanani, Sandeep Nailwal, Anurag Arjun, and Mihailo Bjelic. Originally a Plasma-based sidechain solution, Polygon has expanded into a comprehensive suite of Ethereum scaling technologies including zkEVM, CDK, and Miden.
Polygon's PoS chain became one of the most widely adopted L2 solutions, attracting major brands including Starbucks, Nike, Reddit, and Stripe. In 2023-2024, Polygon focused its strategy on zero-knowledge technology, launching Polygon zkEVM and the Chain Development Kit (CDK) for building custom ZK-powered L2s.
The network rebranded its token from MATIC to POL in September 2024, with POL serving as the native gas and staking token for the expanding Polygon ecosystem. Polygon remains one of the most active blockchain networks by daily transactions and developer count.
Polygon PoS operates as a commit chain alongside Ethereum, where validators stake MATIC (now POL) to validate transactions and produce blocks. Checkpoints are periodically submitted to Ethereum for security. The chain uses a modified version of the Tendermint consensus mechanism adapted for EVM compatibility.
Polygon zkEVM uses zero-knowledge proofs to batch transactions and submit validity proofs to Ethereum, providing stronger security guarantees than the PoS chain. The Polygon CDK enables any developer to launch their own ZK-powered L2 chain connected to the Polygon ecosystem through the AggLayer, which will eventually enable seamless cross-chain liquidity.
POL is the successor token to MATIC, launched in September 2024 as part of Polygon 2.0. POL serves as the native gas and staking token across the Polygon ecosystem. MATIC holders were able to migrate to POL through an upgrade process.
Polygon PoS technically operates as a commit chain (sidechain with periodic checkpoints to Ethereum), not a true L2 rollup. However, Polygon also offers Polygon zkEVM, which is a true ZK-rollup L2. The broader Polygon ecosystem includes both sidechains and L2 solutions.
Polygon's popularity stems from its early mover advantage as an Ethereum scaling solution, very low fees, fast transactions, and major partnerships with brands like Starbucks, Nike, Reddit, and Stripe. Its EVM compatibility makes it easy for Ethereum developers to deploy.
Polygon zkEVM is a zero-knowledge rollup that provides EVM equivalence, meaning Ethereum smart contracts and tools work identically on it. It uses ZK proofs to batch transactions and submit validity proofs to Ethereum, inheriting Ethereum's security while offering lower fees.
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