Polygon’s payments push sparks POL backlash – ‘Holders have no equity’

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-07-17Last updated on 2026-07-17

Abstract

Polygon's community is questioning how the network's shift toward becoming a profitable payments company will benefit POL token holders. One holder, Just Hopmans, highlighted that POL is down 98% from its all-time high and stated holders have no equity in Polygon Labs or claim on its future profits. He demanded clarity on how the company's success translates to value for POL and the Polygon network. Despite a 78% surge in POL holders recently, concerns persist over transparency, including the handling of the community treasury and large, unexplained token movements by the Polygon Foundation. While Polygon has seen record stablecoin transfer volumes, reaching $106B in 2025, its market share in the stablecoin settlement sector has halved since 2023 due to intense competition from Solana and Base. The project has not yet responded to calls for accountability regarding these issues.

The community of Polygon holders is now pressing for clarity on whether the recent Polygon Labs profitability push will trickle down to them. One of the token holders, Just Hopmans, said,

Polygon Labs is becoming a for-profit payments company, while POL is roughly 98% below its ATH. Holders have no equity in Polygon Labs and no claim on its future profits.

He further posed,

How will the success of this company create measurable value for POL and the Polygon network?

Source: X

How will POL holders benefit?

POL, the native governance token in the Polygon ecosystem, was rebranded from MATIC in late 2024. During its debut, it surged to $1 before a massive crash to $0.06, or about a 93% drop in 2026.

Despite the losses, POL holders have surged 78% to over 245K in the past month. For Hopmans, clarity on how these holders will benefit from future Polygon payment profits would be worthwhile.

He also sought details on how the community treasury, under the Polygon Foundation, will be handled after the transition. Hopmans claimed that Polygon Foundation, which oversees governance, moved over 50M POL in H1 2026 without clear communication to the community.

For Polygon Labs CEO Marc Boiron, the transition into a blockchain payment firm would ensure its profitability in 2027.

As of writing, the project has yet to respond to Hopmans’ call for transparency and accountability to the community. That said, Polygon’s move was not surprising given its resilience in the competitive payments segment.

Will Polygon increase its stablecoin market share?

The Ethereum L2 hit a record $106B in annual stablecoin transfer volume in 2025. So far in 2026, the volume is clocking $70B. This has been a growing trend since 2023, making it a key settlement layer for stablecoins, just like Ethereum, Tron, and Arbitrum.

Source: Visa

But in terms of market share, Polygon’s rising stablecoin volumes didn’t translate to increasing dominance.

In fact, since 2023, its market share of the stablecoin settlement market has dropped from 1.54% to 0.72% in 2026. In other words, it has lost about half of its market share in an increasingly competitive segment.

Over the same period, Solana [SOL] and Base have increased their market share from zero to 22% and 16%, respectively.

Source: Visa/Allium

It remains to be seen how the aggressive shifts to payments will bolster Polygon’s standings in the stablecoin settlement sector.


Final Summary

  • Community sought to know whether POL tokenholders will benefit from Polygon’s future profitability in payments
  • Polygon’s stablecoin volumes have increased from $62B to a record $106B, but market share dropped by half

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Related Questions

QWhat is the main concern raised by Polygon (POL) token holders according to the article?

AThe main concern is that Polygon Labs is becoming a for-profit payments company, but POL holders have no equity in the company and no claim on its future profits, raising questions about how the company's success will create measurable value for POL token holders.

QHow has the price of POL performed since its rebranding from MATIC, as per the article?

AAccording to the article, after rebranding from MATIC in late 2024, POL surged to $1 at its debut but then experienced a massive crash to $0.06 in 2026, representing a drop of approximately 93%.

QDespite the price drop, what positive trend is noted regarding POL holders?

ADespite the price losses, the number of POL holders has surged by 78% to over 245,000 in the past month.

QWhat trend does the article highlight regarding Polygon's stablecoin transfer volumes versus its market share?

AThe article highlights that while Polygon's annual stablecoin transfer volume has increased significantly (from $62B in 2023 to a record $106B in 2025), its market share in the stablecoin settlement market has actually dropped sharply from 1.54% in 2023 to 0.72% in 2026, meaning it lost about half its market share.

QWhich two blockchain platforms are mentioned as having gained significant stablecoin market share at Polygon's expense?

AThe article states that Solana (SOL) and Base have gained significant market share. Solana increased its share from zero to 22%, and Base increased its share from zero to 16% over the same period where Polygon's share declined.

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