Polygon has long been perceived as an ecosystem in “war mode”, with a business development team securing partnerships daily and the ecosystem advancing at a rapid pace. However, this momentum has faded, and other solutions now appear more promising and better aligned with the Ethereum ecosystem (Optimism, Arbitrum, ZkSync).
The community need more transparency from Polygon Labs on critical themes in order to have a clear 2025 roadmap and solve key issue problems.
Current Challenges
- Transition from PoS to Validium
Polygon has announced plans to upgrade its PoS chain to a zkEVM Validium, integrating zero-knowledge proofs into its infrastructure. However, no clear timeline has been provided for this transition, leaving developers and users in uncertainty.
- Polygon zkEVM and Data Management
Currently, Polygon zkEVM still relies on calldata for data management, lacking updates to post L1 blobs. This limitation affects efficiency and transaction costs, leaving the solution lagging behind other emerging technologies.
- Roadmap and “Stage 2” Status
Polygon lacks a clear roadmap and explicit commitment to advancing its networks to “stage 2.” Specifically, there’s a need for direction on:
• Strategic Partnerships: Which sectors (DeFi, gaming, NFTs, infrastructure) will be prioritized?
• Developer Support: How does Polygon plan to make its stack the most logical choice for Ethereum builders?
• User Experience: What strategies will enhance user experience and make Polygon adoption seamless?
- Perception and Competition
Polygon is no longer seen as a “cool” solution, as other Layer 2s—like Arbitrum, Optimism, and zkSync—are gaining traction and capturing the attention of developers and users. This shift has diminished Polygon’s appeal as a forward-thinking, dynamic platform.
- Agglayer’s Uncertain Future
The much-anticipated Agglayer, announced over a year ago, still lacks a clear release date for the mainnet. Concerns over its product-market fit and a lack of updates further erode confidence in its rollout.
- Lack of Incentives
Polygon has not allocated sufficient incentives to accelerate the development and adoption of its Agglayer, zkEVM, or Validium solutions. This has hindered the platform’s ability to attract developers and users, weakening its competitive edge.
Migration of Key Projects
These issues have led to the departure of several prominent projects from the Polygon ecosystem, including:
• Worldcoin
• Lens Protocol
• Dimo
• Lido
• Aave potentially
• Binance NFT (which ceased support for Polygon-based NFTs).
Conclusion
To reclaim its leadership position, Polygon must focus on the following priorities:
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Establish Transparency: Share clear, realistic timelines and frequent updates on projects like Agglayer, zkEVM, and Validium.
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Introduce Governance: Empower the community through a decentralized governance framework to involve stakeholders in decision-making.
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Define a Comprehensive Roadmap: Outline a vision for the next phases of growth, including specific goals for partnerships, developer support, and user experience.
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Allocate Meaningful Incentives: Provide resources to encourage the adoption and development of key technologies within the ecosystem.
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Rebuild the “Cool Factor”: Innovate and position Polygon as the most attractive Layer 2 solution in the Ethereum ecosystem.
By addressing these challenges with transparency, clarity, and a focus on collaboration, Polygon can reestablish itself as a competitive and attractive player in the evolving Ethereum ecosystem.