What Is POL Token? Powering Polygon’s Next Evolution

LeeMaimaiLeeMaimai
/Oct 24, 2025
What Is POL Token? Powering Polygon’s Next Evolution

Key Takeaways

• POL is designed to be a hyperproductive asset that secures multiple Polygon networks.

• Migration from MATIC to POL will occur gradually, with both tokens supported during the transition.

• POL enhances scalability and specialization by allowing flexible validator roles across chains.

• The AggLayer aims to unify liquidity and reduce fragmentation in the multi-chain ecosystem.

• Users should prioritize security best practices during the migration process.

Polygon is evolving from a single-chain scaling solution into a multi-chain, unified value layer. At the heart of this transition—often referred to as Polygon 2.0—is the POL token. Designed to replace MATIC over time, POL aims to be a “hyperproductive” asset that secures many Polygon chains, aligns incentives for validators and developers, and powers the network’s new architecture.

In this guide, we unpack what POL is, why it matters, how migration from MATIC works, and what everyday users and builders should watch as Polygon’s roadmap moves forward.

The Big Picture: Polygon 2.0

Polygon started as a PoS sidechain to help scale Ethereum. Today, it’s building an aggregation layer (AggLayer) that connects many chains—rollups and app-specific networks—into a single liquidity and shared security fabric. In practice, this means assets and messages can move more seamlessly across chains, lowering fragmentation and improving user experience.

  • Polygon’s official documentation outlines the multi-chain direction and developer stack, including CDK for spinning up zk-powered L2s. See the Polygon docs for the latest on architecture and tooling.
  • AggLayer is the interoperability backbone that unifies liquidity across Polygon chains. Learn more about AggLayer on Polygon’s site at the AggLayer overview.
  • For broader context on L2 scaling and rollups, Ethereum’s developer portal is a helpful resource on the underlying principles of Ethereum scaling.

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What Is POL?

POL is the next-generation token for the Polygon ecosystem. It’s intended to replace MATIC and become the economic and security engine for Polygon 2.0. Rather than securing a single chain, POL enables validators to secure multiple Polygon networks—think Polygon PoS, Polygon zkEVM, and CDK-built appchains—by staking and restaking across the stack.

Key properties:

  • Multi-chain security: Validators stake POL to secure one or more Polygon networks, earning rewards for each role they take.
  • Flexible validator roles: The design allows for different validation tasks (sequencing, proving, bridging, data availability) across chains, enhancing scalability and specialization.
  • Governance alignment: POL integrates with governance processes to evolve parameters and protocol incentives in a coherent, ecosystem-wide manner.

Learn more:

POL vs. MATIC: What Changes for Users?

For many users, the immediate experience may feel familiar—assets held on Ethereum and used across Polygon chains. However, POL is meant to gradually supersede MATIC as the core token for staking and governance across Polygon’s multi-chain network.

Practical points:

  • Token contract and migration: POL is an ERC‑20 token on Ethereum. You’ll see both MATIC and POL supported across leading platforms during the transition. Track token details via a trusted market data page such as CoinMarketCap’s POL overview.
  • Gas and transactional usage: Historically, Polygon PoS used MATIC as gas. The long-term plan is for POL to be the native ecosystem token, while individual chains may set gas denomination policies as upgrades proceed. Always consult Polygon’s official documentation for the latest status.

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Why POL Matters: Security, Liquidity, and Incentives

Polygon’s bet is that a unified value layer wins on user experience and capital efficiency. POL is central to that thesis:

  • Shared security through restaking: By enabling validators to secure multiple chains with the same stake, POL increases the surface area of security without fragmenting capital.
  • Unified liquidity via AggLayer: Liquidity fragmentation is a major UX pain point in multi-chain ecosystems. AggLayer aims to smooth this, and POL ensures validators are incentivized to participate in this cross-chain fabric.
  • Sustainable rewards: Polygon’s economic design focuses on incentives for validators and ecosystem contributors. As protocol upgrades roll out, the reward mechanics across chains can adapt while staying aligned under POL.

For builders, this means a more predictable environment to launch CDK-based chains and plug into shared liquidity. For users, it means fewer “bridge-and-pray” moments and more coherent cross-chain interactions.

2025 Context: Lower Fees, Better Interop

As of 2025, Ethereum’s data availability improvements—most notably EIP‑4844 (proto-danksharding)—continue reducing L2 transaction costs. Polygon’s zk stack takes advantage of these advances, aligning with the broader Ethereum roadmap to keep fees low and throughput high. This is crucial for a multi-chain network where users expect fast, cheap transactions and seamless movement across apps.

Ongoing Polygon releases around AggLayer, CDK, and validator roles aim to improve cross-chain UX, while POL underpins the incentive model to keep the network secure and efficient.

MATIC to POL Migration: What You Should Know

If you hold MATIC, you’ll encounter opportunities to migrate to POL. Here’s how to approach it safely:

  • Confirm the official contract and migration tooling: Use Polygon’s official documentation and announcements to find the canonical contract and interfaces. Start from the Polygon docs hub to navigate to migration guides and contract addresses.
  • Beware phishing and impostor contracts: Only interact with verified addresses from Polygon’s official channels. Double-check URLs and signatures before confirming any transaction.
  • Consider timing and utility: If a chain still uses MATIC as gas, you may keep some MATIC for fees while migrating the rest. Protocol upgrades can change this over time—follow Polygon’s blog for updates.

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For Validators and Builders

POL’s design is particularly meaningful for network participants:

  • Validators: Restake POL to secure multiple chains, earn diversified rewards, and participate in governance decisions shaping network parameters.
  • Builders: Use Polygon CDK to create application-specific chains that inherit shared security and cross-chain liquidity through AggLayer, all while tapping into a unified token economy.

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Security Best Practices

Whether you’re migrating tokens or exploring new chains, good operational security is essential:

  • Verify contracts and domains via official Polygon channels.
  • Use hardware wallets for private key isolation and transaction signing.
  • Prefer audited bridges and official migration tools to reduce smart contract risk.
  • Monitor fees and nonce behavior, especially when transacting across multiple chains.

Storing POL Securely with OneKey

POL is an ERC‑20 token on Ethereum and will play a broader role across Polygon chains. If you hold or stake POL, securing keys is critical. OneKey hardware wallets feature open‑source firmware, high‑assurance secure elements, and straightforward integration with DeFi workflows. For users managing assets across Ethereum and Polygon, OneKey helps you:

  • Safely sign migration transactions and staking operations
  • Maintain offline private key security while interacting with web apps
  • Verify transaction details on-device to mitigate phishing and UI spoofing

As Polygon 2.0 expands and POL becomes more central, a robust hardware wallet can reduce operational risk during migration and staking.

Final Thoughts

POL is a foundational piece of Polygon’s multi-chain future. By aligning security, incentives, and liquidity across many chains, it aims to deliver a unified experience that feels more like a single, scalable value layer than a patchwork of disconnected networks.

If you plan to migrate MATIC, stake POL, or build with CDK, keep your keys secure, confirm official resources, and follow Polygon’s updates. With tools like OneKey and well‑documented processes, users can navigate the transition confidently while benefiting from the next phase of Ethereum‑aligned scaling.

References:

Secure Your Crypto Journey with OneKey

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