At the end of December 2025, the pilot phase of the Polygon Delegate Incentive Program (DIP) came to a close. Over the course of 15 months, the program successfully generated significant interest and awareness for Polygon while curating a foundational cohort of engaged delegates committed to ecosystem participation and thoughtful governance discourse.
Q4 Program Activity
Q4 Reward Distribution
Q4 saw continued engagement from our delegate cohort despite fewer incentive categories being actively tracked. The Q4 payout reflected the evolving governance landscape and participation levels during the quarter:
-
Total Q4 Payout: $179,150.00 POL
-
Active Delegates: 5 delegates received incentives for their contributions this quarter
-
Masha (Everstake): $2,559.00 USD
-
CupoJoseph (Nifty Chess): $5,119.00 USD
-
Diminiko (BountyBlok): $2,559.00 USD
-
Krzysztof (L2BEAT): $2,559.00 USD
-
Yanshu: $5,119.00 USD
-
Program Outcomes Summary
Overall Program Metrics
Throughout the program’s 15-month duration, the DIP achieved meaningful outcomes:
-
Total Funds Distributed: ~950,000 POL across 20 participating delegates
-
Applications Received: 30 forum applications and 10+ interest form submissions
-
Voting Power Activated: >10M POL voting power engaged
-
Awareness Generated:
-
~330k combined social/content views
-
4000+ combined social/content likes
-
Unallocated Program Funds
Of the $240,000 USD initially allocated to the program, approximately $65,428 in earmarked funds remain unallocated. Due to the shifting needs and status of Polygon governance during the period of operations—in particular the limited on-chain voting opportunities—these earmarked funds are back in the treasury to be used for other purposes.
Delegate Feedback
The program served as an important preparatory layer for delegates, helping build governance participation and structure as the Polygon ecosystem continues to grow:
“Overall my experience with the DIP has been very positive. As a long-time Polygon validator and ecosystem contributor, the program gave structure to work I was already doing around governance and community engagement.”
— Participating Delegate
“It pushed me to understand Polygon governance in more detail and pay closer attention to proposals. I became more consistent about following discussions and forming an opinion early, rather than only reacting when votes were already underway.”
— Participating Delegate
Looking Forward
As the pilot phase concludes, the Polygon Foundation continues to evaluate the best ways to engage delegates and strengthen governance participation. The insights and operational learnings from the DIP will inform future governance initiatives as the ecosystem continues evolving toward fully decentralized on-chain governance.
Stay Connected: Keep an eye on Polygon Foundation channels and the governance forum for updates on governance initiatives and opportunities to get involved.
Closing Remarks
We extend our sincere gratitude to all delegates who participated in the program and contributed their time, expertise, and passion to strengthening Polygon. Your thoughtful engagement, advocacy, and commitment to the ecosystem have been invaluable.
A special thank you to the Polygon Foundation for being supportive partners throughout this entire process. Your collaboration and commitment to building robust governance infrastructure has been essential to the program’s success.
While the DIP pilot has concluded, Areta remains committed to supporting the Polygon ecosystem in meaningful ways. We’re excited to continue contributing through initiatives like leading the Audit Marketplace for Polygon, helping ensure the security of the ecosystem as it continues to grow.
Thank you all for being part of this journey.