Is Polygon Moving On from Its Ethereum Roots?

In a detailed post, Buterin credited Polygon for its major contributions to Ethereum’s growth, technological innovation, and even real-world humanitarian efforts.

His remarks highlight how blockchain teams are not only shaping the future of decentralized technology but also making a difference beyond finance.

Polygon’s Big Wins in the Ethereum Ecosystem

Polygon, often described as Ethereum’s scalability partner, has been a key player in pushing the network’s limits. Buterin praised Polygon for hosting Polymarket, a popular prediction platform where users can trade opinions on real-world events—from elections to sports results. It’s a strong example of how blockchain isn’t just about finance but also about creating new forms of digital interaction.

He also pointed to Polygon’s early and heavy investment in zero-knowledge (ZK) technology. ZK proofs let systems verify transactions without revealing private data, making blockchains faster and more private. Polygon’s ZK-EVM project, led in part by Jordi Baylina’s team, helped move this cutting-edge field forward.

Buterin also spotlighted Nailwal’s personal contributions outside of blockchain. Through CryptoRelief, Nailwal helped fund biomedical research in India during the pandemic, including clean air initiatives. Notably, he returned $190 million from a previous SHIB donation Buterin made, allowing the Ethereum founder to fund Balvi, an open-source biotech program focused on airborne disease prevention.

In a rare show of appreciation, Buterin contrasted Nailwal and Binance’s Changpeng Zhao (CZ) with “most whales,” or wealthy crypto holders, who rarely contribute directly to global causes. He said both leaders represent a more responsible and proactive generation of crypto founders.

More About Polygon & Ethereum

Sandeep Nailwal, the Founder and CEO of Polygon, recently expressed frustration about his relationship with Ethereum, questioning his long-standing loyalty to the network. He shared that his passion for crypto began with Ethereum and that he deeply admired its co-founder, Vitalik Buterin. However, he noted that despite Polygon’s major contributions, the project never received support from the Ethereum Foundation or its core community.

Sandeep described the current Ethereum community as “a mess,” saying that builders often feel alienated or undervalued. He added that some friends have even urged him to move on and declare Polygon an independent Layer 1 (L1) chain—a move that could, by his estimate, increase its valuation several times over. Still, he highlighted the irony that Polygon remains excluded from Ethereum’s Layer 2 (L2) ecosystem in market perception.  Even though its proof-of-stake chain depends on Ethereum and many of its newer solutions are true L2s.

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