Polygon (prev. MATIC) Price POL

Polygon is the first well-structured, easy-to-use platform for Ethereum scaling and infrastructure development. Its core component is Polygon SDK, a modular, flexible framework that supports building multiple types of applications.

It is also a Layer 2 scaling solution backed by Binance and Coinbase, which seeks to stimulate mass adoption of cryptocurrencies by resolving the problems of scalability on many blockchains. Polygon effectively transforms Ethereum into a full-fledged multi-chain system (aka Internet of Blockchains). This multi-chain system is akin to other ones such as Polkadot, Cosmos, Avalanche etc. with the advantages of Ethereum’s security, vibrant ecosystem and openness.

Polygon boasts of up to 65,000 transactions per second on a single side chain, along with a respectable block confirmation time of less than two seconds. Its Plasma framework provides the potential of housing an unlimited number of decentralized applications on their infrastructure without experiencing the normal drawbacks common on proof-of-work blockchains. So far, Polygon has attracted more than 50 DApps to its PoS-secured Ethereum sidechain.

How Does Polygon Work

The number of transactions that may be processed in a single second by the Ethereum blockchain is restricted. During times of heavy network traffic, the gas prices associated with each transaction could rise beyond the 14 transactions per second that the Ethereum network’s foundational layer is capable of processing. The fast increase to $50 or $80 each transaction in petrol prices makes it unaffordable for most customers. The Ethereum blockchain is less appealing to users because to its slowness caused by high network congestion.

Thus, the fees associated with purchasing non-fungible tokens (NFTs), utilizing decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and protocols, and trading, purchasing, or transferring tokens on Ethereum can swiftly accumulate to hundreds of dollars.

Transaction processing on different sidechains is one of the scaling methods offered by Polygon. Polygon has a significant advantage over Ethereum, which can only perform about 17 transactions per second, with a capacity of 65,000. In addition, compared to Ethereum’s average transaction price of almost $15, Polygon’s fees are significantly lower, costing only a few pennies.

In order to provide users with the greatest scaling option for their individual use case, Polygon has built multiple protocols that give different sorts of zero-knowledge proofs (zk). Zero knowledge proofs are a primitive in cryptography that allows another person, the verifier, to determine if a statement is valid without requiring extra information.

A number of integration solutions are available in Polygon, including zk rollups, optimistic rollups, proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain bridges, and plasma sidechains. In this example, the main blockchain is Ethereum, and there are also plasma sidechains, which are more safe and less heavy. Because of the PoS bridge, decentralized applications (DApps) can be built on one platform while retaining the benefits of other platforms.

Polygon is a technique that groups transactions off the main blockchain, making Ethereum faster and lighter. Zk rollups allow for the off-chain processing of transaction groups and the creation of validity proofs prior to their transmission to the main blockchain. Because of this, the primary chain stores less data. Optimistic rollups employ a fraud-proof protocol to validate legitimate transactions and punish dishonest ones.

Polygon is cognizant of the fact that factors like speed, sovereignty, transaction fees, and security are all up for grabs when deciding on a scaling solution. As a result, developers have a lot of options when it comes to scaling solutions, and Polygon provides a full array of options.

What Makes Polygon Unique?

Polygon is self-described as a Layer 2 scaling solution, which means that the project doesn’t seek to upgrade its current basic blockchain layer any time soon. The project focuses on reducing the complexity of scalability and instant blockchain transactions.

Polygon uses a customized version of the Plasma framework, which allows each sidechain on Polygon to achieve up to 65,536 transactions per block.

Commercially, the sidechains of Polygon are structurally designed to support a variety of decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols available in the Ethereum ecosystem. While Polygon currently supports only Ethereum basechain, the network intends to extend support for additional basechains, based on community suggestions and consensus. This would makePolygon an interoperable decentralized Layer 2 blockchain platform.