Polygon, a leading Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution, has recently witnessed a series of departures among its top leadership. The decreasing value of MATIC, Polygon’s native token, has raised concerns among investors, hinting at potential internal challenges within the organization. The frequent departures of high executives from Polygon have left many wondering about the reasons behind these transitions.
Notable Departures
One of the significant exits occurred with a co-founder who had a pivotal role in the company’s establishment back in 2017. In a recent statement, he mentioned, “About half a year ago, I decided to step back from the day-to-day operations.” He expressed his ongoing support for Polygon but disclosed his focus on two new ventures, Morphic and Mozak, both seemingly related to generative Artificial Intelligence and media.
Another co-founder extended well wishes, acknowledging their shared journey and suggesting the natural progression of professional paths. Earlier in the year, another key member departed after a five-year tenure, joining Avail, a modular blockchain emerging from Polygon Labs. Furthermore, Polygon’s former president made an exit announcement, and the chief legal officer assumed his role. Despite stepping down, the ex-president plans to continue advising Polygon and maintaining his investments in the sector.
Operational Changes
In an operational consolidation move earlier this year, Polygon revealed plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 20%, affecting nearly 100 employees.
Polygon’s Innovations and Future
Polygon addresses Ethereum’s challenges, such as scalability and transaction costs, through innovative methods, including customizable sidechains parallel to the Ethereum mainnet. They recently launched their zkEVM rollup on the Ethereum mainnet and unveiled plans to transition their proof-of-stake chain to a validium solution. A co-founder emphasized their belief in ZK proofs as the way forward.
Despite these changes, Polygon’s native token, MATIC, remains robust, currently ranking as the 13th largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. However, it has experienced a 40% decrease in value over the past year.