13 Aug AMA with Polygon (Sandeep Naiwal) – Hosted by Bitfinex & BitfreedomGus
Since its founding, Polygon has grown into some of the extensively used blockchains in DeFi, driving innovation throughout scalability, person expertise, and multi-chain structure. The improve from MATIC to POL marked a pivotal step in aligning the community’s tokenomics with its long-term imaginative and prescient, making certain better utility for holders and stakers throughout its increasing ecosystem.
Now, with the launch of Agglayer, Polygon is making a extra strong and interconnected surroundings for builders, aiming to unify the fragmented Web3 panorama and ship a seamless, internet-like expertise for the way forward for decentralised purposes.
On 8 August 2025, Bitfinex hosted an AMA discussing these developments and Polygon’s imaginative and prescient for the long run. Get pleasure from!
Bitfinex: Hiya everybody and welcome to a different unique Bitfinex AMA! I’m BitfreedomGus, and as we speak I’ve the pleasure of welcoming Sandeep Nailwal, Founder and CEO of Polygon.
Polygon has opened the doorways to DeFi for hundreds of thousands of customers, and now it takes a daring step in the direction of unifying every little thing in crypto. As we method nearly one 12 months because the improve from MATIC to POL, we’ll check out what this transition has meant for the community and discover the subsequent chapters in Polygon’s journey, resembling the brand new Agglayer, which I’m personally curious to study extra about.
Sandeep Nailwal, welcome. It’s nice to have you ever right here with the Bitfinex group.
Sandeep Nailwal: Hey BitFreedomGus, excited to be right here! Bitfinex was the second trade I ever used after Poloniex. Once I first signed up on Bitfinex, it was an enormous step up when it comes to UX in comparison with Poloniex.
Bitfinex: Superior! Appears to be like like we’ve bought a few OGs right here!
Sandeep Nailwal: So a protracted historical past with Bitfinex for me, it’s a full circle second for me to be right here with you guys. Honoured!
Bitfinex: To start, may you share about your background and what downside you had been most captivated with fixing when Polygon was created?
Sandeep Nailwal: I come from a really humble background in India the place I needed to begin supporting my family with revenue at a really early age. I felt that life didn’t present equal alternative for all of us. A bit bit right here and there and I may’ve been working in an previous cell restore store in Delhi, India. The Web supplied me the chance to understand my potential and be right here in entrance of all of you and be at the very least considerably heard.
I feel crypto has even larger potential on the subject of empowerment of each particular person human being. And that’s the principle mindset I’ve to be working in crypto. Polygon particularly…
I really feel that for Polygon, I feel the blockchain and crypto business is rising and since day 0 our objective was to offer the large scalability to crypto for it to go to billions of customers.
The objective of Polygon is to allow all app builders, whether or not they’re constructing on one shared blockchain like Polygon POS or they need their very own chains, they can construct it trustlessly and securely whereas conserving the person expertise as seamless as attainable.
The customers ought to have the ability to use their cash and do with it no matter they need, wherever they need, at any time when they need.
So Polygon is attempting to construct an Web of interconnected blockchains who host end-user apps on hundreds of blockchains however for finish customers, it appears like one single blockchain, similar to on the Web you as a person are linked to at least one single web, and never web of USA, web of Italy, Web of India and so forth.
Web is one web.
Equally, the blockchains needs to be one single blockchain from the tip person perspective.
Sorry for the lengthy reply however this subject is so near my coronary heart.
Bitfinex: Don’t fear, we admire this masterclass. What made you are taking up the place of CEO at Polygon Basis?
Sandeep Nailwal: The construction on the basis wasn’t constructed for pace. With a number of founders concerned and an excessive amount of overlap in roles, it grew to become troublesome to maneuver rapidly and clarify choices. I stepped in as CEO of the Polygon Basis to carry sharper focus and assist us execute extra successfully throughout the board.
Marc Boiron, who I consider is among the most succesful CEOs within the business, had already spent the previous few years rebuilding the Polygon Labs group right into a high-performing organisation. Due to that basis, we had been able to start out delivering nearly instantly.
In simply the previous few months, we’ve constructed a transparent roadmap for our key merchandise. Polygon PoS is among the most generally used public blockchains and helps builders construct low-cost, quick purposes which might be simple to make use of. Now we have a transparent roadmap to make it even quicker, as a way to assist international funds and RWAs, leaning into the areas the place it’s already glorious. The Agglayer is constructed to assist not solely Polygon, however any chain, by unifying all of crypto. It’s our new coordination layer that connects totally different chains right into a single, seamless community, with an emphasis on person expertise that may really feel just like the web everyone knows. Each are vital to our long-term imaginative and prescient.
We’re now in full transport mode. We’re shifting quick on funds, together with main upgrades to the mainchain, and launching formidable initiatives just like the Agglayer Breakout Programme and Katana with GSR.
Bitfinex: Thanks once more, Sandeep Nailwal. After years of growth, how has the imaginative and prescient for Polygon developed?
Sandeep Nailwal: So Polygon began as a single chain, Polygon PoS, which as we speak is among the largest chains when it comes to day by day lively customers for stablecoins and lots of different use instances.
However over time we realised that no single blockchain can cater to the Web3 apps of all the world. It’s like saying that each one the apps on the web may very well be constructed on one single information server or one single information centre.
It’s not true; enterprises need to construct on totally different sorts of architectures. DeFi wants a unique type of structure, video games want a unique structure and so forth. It’s incorrect to suppose that any single blockchain will get all of the apps of Web3.
Therefore Polygon is as we speak targeted and architected as a multichain ecosystem. Now we have one chain, Polygon PoS, which could be very in style, however our key product is Agglayer, which is a trustless, chain sovereignty and independence-focused chain cluster.
So as we speak, Polygon is Polygon PoS plus Agglayer, That already has some in style chains like Wilder World, Katana, Lumia and lots of extra.
Bitfinex: Wonderful. And with that developed imaginative and prescient, what’s the newest with Polygon?
Sandeep Nailwal: Proper now, we’re targeted on three large objectives.
➜ First, we’re growing Polygon PoS into the quickest funds chain on the market. The gigagas roadmap we launched can carry speeds that rival and surpass programs like Visa. We wish individuals to have the ability to ship cash or make purchases immediately and at nearly no price.
To make that occur, we’re upgrading the expertise behind Polygon and dealing intently with groups like Flipkart, Seize, and Reliance Jio, who’re constructing actual cost use instances with us.
➜ Second, we’re working to get the primary model of Agglayer out by the tip of the 12 months. Though it’s stay proper now, not all of the premium options can be found that may make customers’ lives simpler.
Agglayer is a big step ahead in crypto. At the moment, blockchains are disconnected, utterly separate from each other. There’s no single place the place crypto occurs, however a patchwork of momentary fixes that bridge blockchains collectively.
The Agglayer is designed to attach all of them within the background, just like how the web connects individuals all over the world. It makes utilizing crypto easier, quicker, and extra seamless for everybody.
➜ Third, we need to be certain that Polygon stakers see actual worth. Proper now, POL is among the solely tokens within the L2 panorama that has actual utility, and utility exterior a single ecosystem. It’s the token that powers each Polygon and Agglayer. And with the Agglayer Breakout Program, chains that participate and are linked to the Agglayer ship airdrops again to stakers. So if you happen to’re staking POL, this creates a direct hyperlink between the expansion of the ecosystem and the worth of staking.
Bitfinex: Thanks. Are you able to clarify what Polygon revealed in its current gigagas roadmap replace and what the long run appears like for the community?
Sandeep Nailwal: The purpose of the gigagas roadmap is to achieve 100k TPS, scaling throughput for a greater person expertise that may assist the monetary world onchain. Meaning on the spot transactions, dying to reorgs, and new ranges of pace, all with Polygon’s battle-tested reliability. Polygon is aiming to grow to be the premier funds and RWAs chain, and that is the milestone we have to attain web scale.
Bitfinex: Talking of roadmap, expertise and updates, what was the current Heimdall improve, and why does it matter for Polygon?
Sandeep Nailwal: This was step one within the gigagas roadmap, and some of the complicated upgrades within the historical past of crypto. Polygon now helps 5-second quick finality, permitting stablecoins to maneuver on the tempo of on a regular basis life and tokenised belongings to settle like shares.
Bitfinex: As you mentioned, Sandeep Nailwal, increasing totally different options to totally different purposes. Wonderful. Let’s get again to the improve. Why was MATIC upgraded to POL final 12 months, and what utility does POL supply to holders and stakers?
Sandeep Nailwal: Polygon has developed over the previous few years. The community wanted a token that may have the ability to assist future upgrades and accrue worth to holders and stakers in a manner that works throughout each Polygon and Agglayer. In contrast to different L2 tokens, POL has actual utility. It’s the native gasoline token of the Polygon community, allocates an annual emission of two% to ecosystem incentives, and permits customers to earn staking rewards. POL additionally contains mechanisms for group airdrop eligibility through the Agglayer Breakout Programme.
Bitfinex: And after that, how can POL holders and stakers accrue worth from the Polygon Community?
Sandeep Nailwal: It’s essential to do not forget that whereas many tasks and tokens are speculative by nature, POL already has quick utility in a extensively used chain that offers elementary worth. POL is the gasoline and staking token of Polygon, so each transaction on the community is fuelled by POL. Staking POL earns rewards and makes stakers eligible for group airdrops.
As Polygon continues to steer in funds, the demand for POL and community safety will solely develop. POL is the important thing piece, in order that when stakers do the work, they see the rewards, serving to the token accrue worth, even because the groundwork is laid for POL to serve an essential function in Agglayer. For a simple demo on methods to stake POL, we created a video. Let me ship the hyperlink right here: https://x.com/0xPolygon/standing/1952742853890752571
Bitfinex: I feel your first assertion about Bitfinex was very enlightening, however we’ve this query anyway. Bitfinex has been a long-term associate of Polygon. How has this relationship helped construct belief between the undertaking and the group of holders and merchants through the years?
Sandeep Nailwal: I imply, see Bitfinex is the OG amongst the OGs. The group total has executed wonderful work, from offering the deepest BTC markets to the world to creating the pivotal stablecoin for the business, i.e., USDT.
I’ve the very best respect for Bitfinex and Tether management, particularly I’m an enormous fan of Paolo and his distinctive capability to foretell long-term traits and work in the direction of them in a really calm and composed manner.
Thoughts you, in crypto, three months is like one 12 months and Paolo thinks in five-year time frames. 😄 😄
That’s like considering in a 20-year timeframe, hahaha.
It’s very spectacular and we’re honoured to have an amazing relationship with Bitfinex.
With Tether, we’ve cost options carried out in Lugano and lots of different cities. You may pay for every little thing from meals, to groceries, to even wedding ceremony ceremonies in Lugano in USDT on Polygon.
Bitfinex: Thanks. You’re additionally main and taking part within the Web3 enlargement. That’s one thing wonderful. Let’s get deeper into Agglayer. What’s Agglayer, and why is it essential for Polygon’s roadmap?
Sandeep Nailwal: Agglayer is the product to unify all of Web3 and create one single web for cash. It connects L1s, L2s, no matter (it doesn’t matter what layer or what stack), with no chain having to sacrifice sovereignty or silo liquidity. With a particular security mechanism stay, Agglayer will have the ability to safely assist any chain, no matter underlying safety mannequin. So earlier, once I was speaking about how fragmented and fractured crypto is? Effectively, Agglayer fixes that.
And it’ll be run on POL.
Within the newest improve, Agglayer CDK started to assist extra stacks than only one. It’s now attainable for OP Stack-built chains to natively launch and connect with Agglayer. That’s the stack utilized by Base, Ink, and so on.
It’s extensively adopted expertise, however launching within the Superchain comes with a tax for interop that Agglayer simply doesn’t have. It already powers 15+ chains, with extra becoming a member of on a regular basis however on Agglayer it comes with zero tax to the chains connecting to it.
That is the way you scale crypto just like the web: customers don’t must know what chain they’re on, and apps don’t must bootstrap liquidity from scratch. Agglayer will allow sub-5 second cross-chain finality (coming quickly), native token fungibility (no wrappers), and safety you’ll be able to confirm onchain.
Bitfinex: How can POL holders and stakers accrue worth from Agglayer?
Sandeep Nailwal: I touched on this a little bit above, nevertheless it’s price spelling out. Agglayer might be powered by POL. That seamless UX expertise we predict is lacking in Web3 can solely actually be achieved via Agglayer, because of its underlying expertise. (Zero-knowledge proofs, for anybody who desires to deep dive!) POL staking is the electrical energy that offers Agglayer its internet-like aura: simple, protected transfers throughout totally different ecosystems and chains, in a manner that’s quick and feels good. POL staking is on the centre right here. POL stakers additionally grow to be eligible for airdrops (see hyperlink under) via the Agglayer Breakout Programme from tasks within the Polygon ecosystem.
https://polygon.expertise/weblog/pol-value-accrual-post-2-introducing-the-agglayer-breakout-program
The subsequent introduced airdrop is from Katana, a purpose-built DeFi chain for greater yield and deep liquidity incubated by Polygon Labs and GSR.
Extremely suggest going via this picture, this can be a good description of POL utility:
Bitfinex: Thanks, actually attention-grabbing and effectively defined. Good alternatives for communities to discover as effectively. And for on a regular basis customers and merchants who could not comply with technical developments intently, how will Polygon’s newest improvements enhance their expertise, and the way can this assist in the choice to hodl and commerce POL?
Sandeep Nailwal: Polygon’s transport season has already introduced finality occasions beneath 5 seconds and TPS over 1000. This enables apps constructed on or built-in with Polygon to supply vastly improved UX to their customers, with quick, low cost, dependable transactions globally. That is how Polygon is constructing the default chain for funds and RWA use instances, and persevering with to create an onchain financial system that brings the advantages of crypto to customers and accrues worth to the POL token.
Bitfinex: Thanks. To finalise this session, how can we discover extra details about Polygon’s newest developments?
Sandeep Nailwal: You may comply with Polygon on X at x.com/0xPolygon, or go to the Polygon web site, https://polygon.expertise/.
Bitfinex: Sandeep, thanks for sharing your insights and giving us a better take a look at Polygon’s progress and imaginative and prescient for the long run. It has been a useful dialog that allowed us to grasp extra concerning the community’s technique, the function of POL, and upcoming improvements like Agglayer.
To our viewers, thanks for becoming a member of us on this AMA. As talked about, you’ll be able to comply with Polygon’s newest updates via their official channels:
Web site: <https://polygon.expertise/>
X (Twitter): <https://x.com/0xPolygon>
Viewers Questions:
From LGabriel: May you share what initially impressed you to create Polygon, and what had been a number of the greatest challenges you confronted throughout the early levels of constructing the undertaking, from idea to launch?
Sandeep Nailwal: Hey LGabriel, thanks for the query. As I discussed earlier than, I come from a humble background in India, the place I needed to begin supporting my family financially at a really younger age. I all the time felt that life didn’t supply equal alternatives to everybody. Just some totally different circumstances, and I may’ve ended up working in a small cell restore store in Delhi. The web, extra particularly crypto, gave me the possibility to be right here as we speak, talking to all of you and having my voice heard, at the very least to some extent. So, Hold chasing your goals LGabriel.
From Emellic9: How are you working to show our goals into actuality?
Sandeep Nailwal: Hey Emellic9, thanks for the query. I feel you’ll be able to check with the query “What’s new in Polygon?”, as we’ve three main objectives that may create extra alternatives for each Polygon builders and adopters
From Karthik: Hello Sandeep, Polygon hasn’t pumped the way in which many anticipated. Because you grew to become CEO, what do you suppose the value expectation for the Polygon coin is thru to December 2026?
Sandeep Nailwal: Hey Karthik, thanks for the query. I feel you’ll be able to check with the query “What’s new in Polygon?” the place I discussed Polygon’s third objective.
Bitfinex: This concludes our session for as we speak! Thanks!
