What is POL (formerly MATIC)? Polygon Explained [For Beginners]

Table of Contents

Project Overview (Basic Info)

Hi, I'm John. Today, I'd like to talk about POL (formerly MATIC), a hot topic in the cryptocurrency world. I'll explain it in an easy-to-understand way so that even beginners who aren't familiar with cryptocurrencies can enjoy reading it. POL is the token of a project called Polygon. It was originally called MATIC, but was recently updated to POL. Imagine it like building a new highway to alleviate traffic congestion in a city. That's Polygon's role, and POL is like a ticket to use that road.

POL, or the Polygon Network, is a project that supports the large blockchain known as Ethereum. Ethereum is popular, but it suffers from problems such as slow transaction speeds due to transaction congestion and high transaction fees. That's where Polygon comes in! Its Layer 2 mechanism reduces the burden on Ethereum, enabling fast and cheap transactions. The transition from MATIC to POL was completed in September 2024, and POL is now active as the main token. It's a popular token, ranking high in market capitalization.

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Let's take a look back at the past. The Polygon project started in 2017 as Matic Network. At the time, it attracted attention as a solution to Ethereum's scalability problem. It was rebranded to Polygon in 2021 and became extremely popular with the boom in NFTs and DeFi. Remember back then when gas fees (transaction fees) were ridiculously high? Thanks to Polygon, many people were able to trade cheaply.

What is the current situation? The upgrade from MATIC to POL was officially completed on September 4, 2024. Polygon's official X account (@0xPolygon) announced, "It's official. The MATIC to POL upgrade is now live, after a year of community-led discussions and consensus." POL is now used as the native gas fee and staking token for Polygon PoS (Proof of Stake). Simply put, POL acts as a kind of fuel for the network. As of October 2025, the transition is 99% complete, and the community is excited.

I'll talk more about the future later, but in our vision of Polygon 2.0, a technology called AggLayer that connects multiple chains will be key. POL will play an important role there as well. You might want to try out POL, but first, let's understand the basics.

Token Supply and Price Impact (Supply Details)

Now, let me explain the POL token supply from a beginner's perspective. Token supply refers to how many POL tokens exist in total. The total supply of POL is 100 billion tokens, which was inherited from MATIC. However, not all of them will be released to the market immediately. It's like they're stored in a bank vault and released little by little.

Looking back at the past MATIC era, increases in supply affected prices. During the boom in 2021, there were times when supply increased too much, causing prices to fall. However, the Polygon team learned from this and is now using smarter supply management in POL. Currently, there are approximately 9 billion tokens in circulation, with the remainder being used for staking rewards and the community fund. According to CoinMarketCap data (as of October 3, 2025), it ranks in the 44th place in market capitalization rankings, demonstrating its popularity.

What impact will this have on prices? Around September 2024, immediately after the migration, prices fluctuated slightly due to market turmoil, but they have now stabilized. In the future, as demand increases with the deployment of Polygon 2.0, prices are expected to rise. However, cryptocurrencies are subject to significant fluctuations, so caution is advised. For example, in an X post, user Kaveri wrote, "I finally sat down to understand what's actually happening with the $MATIC → $POL migration, and it clicked for me today," suggesting that he realized POL would power up the entire network. Such comments may help drive prices higher.

In terms of supply, POL is an inflationary token, with a small number of new tokens issued each year to maintain the security of the network. But don't worry, the team is also implementing a burn mechanism to reduce excess tokens. In the future, as AggLayer's growth increases POL's utility, the risk of supply pressure driving down the price should be reduced.

If you're considering investing, make it a habit to monitor supply changes. You can get real-time data on CoinGecko, for example. Prices are driven by market sentiment, so it's a good idea to follow the news closely.

Technical Mechanism

Does this technical talk sound complicated? Don't worry, John will break it down for you. POL is based on the Polygon network, which is Ethereum's Layer 2 scaling solution. What is Layer 2? If Ethereum is the main road, Polygon is like a side road that supports it. It processes transactions quickly and at low cost, and finally returns the results to Ethereum.

Previously, MATIC used a technology called Plasma, but the current POL uses zkEVM (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine). This is a zero-knowledge proof that achieves high-speed processing while protecting privacy. It's like putting calculations into a secret box and only checking the results. In the 2024 update, POL began to be used for gas fees (transaction fuel) and staking.

One of its current features is that it is a hyper-productive token. As explained on Polygon's official blog, POL securely connects multiple chains. By staking, you receive rewards and help secure the network. For beginners, you can think of it as depositing POL like a bank deposit and receiving interest.

In the future, AggLayer will be fully implemented in Polygon 2.0. This is a technology that unifies different blockchains, and POL will be at the center of it. X's Polygon Foundation account (@0xPolygonFdn) announced, "SAVE THE DATE: MATIC → POL After community consensus, the long-awaited upgrade is set for September 4th," emphasizing the role of POL in AggLayer. This should make DeFi and NFT transactions much smoother.

Another feature is its high compatibility. Developers are happy because Ethereum tools can be used as is. For beginners, Polygon is like a "faster version" of Ethereum. Gas costs are low, so it can be used easily in games and apps.

If you follow the evolution of the technology, it has progressed in a community-driven way, from the proposal in 2023 to the transition in 2024. An X user named Sjuul posted, "Polygon plans to release an update and replace $MATIC with $POL, a universal native coin ecosystem," explaining that POL is a universal token that covers all Polygon protocols. This is the key to the future.

Team & Community

The success of any project depends on the team and the community. Polygon's team is comprised primarily of talented developers from India. Co-founder Sandeep Nailwal is a well-known figure in the cryptocurrency world and is active on X (@sandeepnailwal). In the past, he founded Matic Network and was passionate about scaling Ethereum. He continues to lead Polygon's vision.

The other members are also highly trustworthy, including blockchain engineers and business experts. For example, Jaynti Kanani and Anurag Arjun are key figures. Looking at the team's backgrounds, many members have worked at Google and other tech companies, highlighting their technical capabilities. The community is spread across the world, and active discussions take place on Discord and Telegram.

Looking back, the NFT boom of 2021 saw the community explode. At that time, celebrities and companies adopted Polygon, and everyone got excited. Now, after the transition, the community has become even more united. Donnie (@Donnie100x) of X posted, "What's happening at @0xPolygon lately feels like a convergence point. From MATIC → POL, to EIP-7702 support," praising the team's rollout.

In the future, community-driven governance will be strengthened. POL holders will be able to vote, and together we will evolve the project. Even if you're new to the project, why not start by joining X or the official forum? It's a friendly community, so it's easy to ask questions, and I highly recommend it.

The team's transparency is also appealing. They regularly publish updates, building trust. For example, the 2025 roadmap includes more community events. You can join in and experience the power of POL for yourself.

Use-Cases & Outlook

Let's talk about POL's use cases. It is mainly used in DeFi (decentralized finance), NFTs, and games. In the past, in the MATIC era, many people moved from Ethereum due to rising gas fees. Now, there are many popular apps on Polygon. For example, you can trade using POL on the DeFi platform QuickSwap.

As a real-world use case, the tokenization of RWA (Real World Assets) is progressing. Nasir (@NpzNasir) of X posted, "The $POL era is HERE! The $MATIC to $POL migration is 99% complete, unifying the @0xPolygon ecosystem for Polygon 2.0. This engine is fueling massive Real World Asset (RWA) adoption with over $1B tokenized value," and POL is supporting RWA. Simply put, it will enable real estate and stocks to be traded on the blockchain.

The future looks bright. In the future, connecting multiple chains with AggLayer will make cross-chain transactions easier. From 2025 onwards, Polygon 2.0 will expand the role of POL, and it will be used for settlement and governance. An article in Cointelegraph also analyzes that Polygon's technological evolution will change the industry.

If you're a game lover, Polygon's Web3 games are a great option. They're low-cost to play. In the future, mainstream adoption may increase, making POL even more valuable. That's exciting!

Comparison with similar coins (Competitor Comparison)

Compare POL to other projects. Understanding the competition will help you understand what makes POL unique.

Optimism (OP): Ethereum Layer 2, using Optimistic Rollup. Similar to POL, it enables high-speed transactions, but POL differs in that it uses zk technology for stronger privacy. Optimism is simple, but Polygon's ecosystem is much larger.
Arbitrum (ARB): This is also a Layer 2 competitor with faster transaction speeds. In the past, it competed with Polygon in the gas fee competition, but POL's AggLayer has the unique ability to connect multiple chains, which may give it an advantage in future scalability.
zkSync (ZK): Specializing in zkRollup, it is similar to POL's zkEVM. However, Polygon has many community-driven updates and POL's universal token design is what differentiates it.

POL's unique feature is its hyper-productive token design. It covers all Polygon protocols and can be used for staking and gas fees. While most other Layer 2 protocols are single-chain, POL powers the entire network.

Risks & Cautions

Cryptocurrencies are fun, but they also have risks. In the case of POL, the market is subject to large fluctuations. In the past, MATIC saw a sharp price drop in 2022. Even now, prices may fluctuate due to regulatory changes or the emergence of competitors.

Technical risks include bugs and security issues during migration. While the official guidelines are cautious, beginners should start with a small amount. Future Ethereum updates may affect Polygon. Don't forget to DYOR (Do Your Own Research)!

Beware of scams. If you see a fake promotion on X, ignore it. Only use trusted sources.

Expert Opinions

Let's hear from experts. Sandeep Nailwal spoke passionately about Polygon's vision at X. The post "From MATIC → POL, to EIP-7702 support" conveys the team's confidence.

A CoinDesk article analyzed that Polygon's scalability will become the industry standard. Developer Dalip Singh (@The0xGoku) posted, "The $MATIC → $POL migration just hit 99% completion. But this isn't just a token swap—it's a complete infrastructure upgrade," emphasizing a future in which POL will power all Polygon chains.

For the uninitiated, experts highly praise POL's versatility. AKIB (@0xAkib) also analyzes that "The shift from $MATIC to $POL isn't just a token upgrade. $POL powers the entire Polygon ecosystem." Many people are looking forward to its future growth.

Latest News & Roadmap Highlights

The latest news is that an October 2025 X post reported that the migration is 99% complete. The official Polygon account shared the update. The roadmap calls for full-scale deployment of AggLayer in 2025. Following the previous migration in September 2024, staking is currently being strengthened. Plans are in place to expand RWA and payments in the future.

According to Cointelegraph, there are also rumors of a partnership with BlackRock. If you follow the news, you can see the momentum of POL.

Beginner FAQs

Q: What is the difference between POL and MATIC? A: MATIC is the old name, and POL is the new token. The function has been upgraded.

Q: How do I buy it? A: Exchange it for Ethereum on an exchange. Please refer to the beginner's guide.

Q: What is staking? A: Depositing POL and receiving rewards. Supporting the network.

Q: Does it have a future? A: I have high hopes for Polygon 2.0, but I also have to consider the risks.

What is POL (formerly MATIC)? A complete guide to Polygon cryptocurrency for beginners