Polygonfinance
Polygonfinance token migration is a query about when Polygon MATIC needs a manual upgrade to POL
Polygonfinance token migration concerns Polygon's MATIC-to-POL upgrade, and the holding network determines the required action for those tokens. Polygon PoS converted native MATIC automatically at 1:1; converting unstaked MATIC held directly on Ethereum requires an Ethereum transaction. MATIC stakers and delegators securing Polygon PoS do not need that manual conversion. Wallets can retain the old MATIC label after the native upgrade, so the displayed name alone does not establish unfinished work. Remaining Polygon zkEVM holdings require separate attention because that network has shut down. Begin with the balance's network and holding type before selecting a conversion route.
Updated onKey takeaway: Changing the Polygon PoS currency symbol to POL updates the wallet display without creating another migration.
The holding network determines whether a manual upgrade fits
An unstaked MATIC balance in an Ethereum wallet fits the manual conversion route when the intended outcome is POL on Ethereum. Polygon Portal provides an interface for that upgrade. The wallet must control the MATIC that it authorizes the upgrade contract to access. Merely connecting the same wallet address on another network does not change where its tokens reside.
Native MATIC balances on Polygon PoS converted automatically to POL at a 1:1 ratio. The native-token upgrade took effect on September 4, 2024. That activation date describes the network transition, while an Ethereum wallet's conversion depends on its own migration transaction. A wallet can therefore contain balances that require different treatment across these networks.
Ethereum wallet conversion moves through permission and execution
The documented Portal route requires control of unstaked MATIC on Ethereum and ETH for transaction fees. Its 1:1 rate measures token quantities: each MATIC migrated corresponds to one POL received. Permission to access MATIC precedes the conversion that delivers POL.
| Stage | Wallet action | Relevant state | Timing or conversion basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify the holding | Select the wallet holding unstaked MATIC on Ethereum | The wallet controls the input tokens | Before authorization |
| Connect to the interface | Connect to Polygon Portal's migration interface on Ethereum | The interface uses the Ethereum wallet connection | Before granting token access |
| Authorize access | Grant the upgrade contract permission to access MATIC | The contract has the approved token permission | Before conversion |
| Submit conversion | Confirm and submit the migration transaction | Submission alone does not establish a completed conversion | One POL per MATIC migrated |
| Confirm receipt | Check successful execution and the resulting POL receipt | The receiving wallet holds POL on Ethereum | After the migration executes successfully |
| Native balances on Polygon PoS do not need this Ethereum wallet conversion flow. | |||
A stale MATIC symbol needs a wallet setting change
A Polygon PoS wallet can display MATIC after the underlying native-token upgrade has already finished. The wallet's network settings supply that currency symbol. In MetaMask, the relevant setting is the Currency symbol field for Polygon Mainnet, which should read POL. Other wallets can organize their settings differently. Changing that field updates the display; it does not execute an Ethereum migration.
Existing stakes follow a different migration rule
MATIC staked or delegated on Ethereum to secure Polygon PoS did not require the personal-wallet conversion flow. The automatic staking upgrade covered that staked amount. Its location on Ethereum did not make it equivalent to an unstaked MATIC balance that a wallet could authorize for migration.
A staking position and spendable wallet tokens remain distinct holdings. The automatic treatment of the stake does not settle the conversion status of those other tokens. Liquid staking programs also have provider-specific arrangements; their tokens and redemption processes should not inherit a personal-wallet procedure merely because both involve MATIC.
Bridging changes the network while migration changes the token
An Ethereum MATIC-to-POL conversion produces POL on Ethereum. If the intended job is to move assets between Ethereum and Polygon PoS, bridging addresses that separate network-transfer requirement. Choosing between these operations starts with the desired asset and destination, including whether the balance already serves the intended purpose where it sits.
The Polygon native bridge locks assets on Ethereum and creates corresponding pegged tokens on Polygon. Its return direction burns pegged tokens and releases the Ethereum assets. A completed Ethereum conversion alone does not fund the native POL balance that pays for a Polygon PoS transaction.
The zkEVM sunset changed the route for remaining funds
Polygon reports that its Polygon zkEVM Mainnet Beta sequencer shut down on July 3, 2026. The Agglayer Bridge no longer processes withdrawals from that network.
The migration instructions updated April 29, 2025 described bridging zkEVM MATIC to Ethereum before conversion. That route predated the shutdown.
The Polygon zkEVM Claims interface supports Ethereum recovery for assets that externally owned accounts (EOAs) held directly at sunset. It excludes assets held inside smart contracts, including DeFi positions and multisig contracts. For those holdings, contact the relevant protocol or contract operator.
The Claims interface remains available through December 31, 2027. Its retirement ends the provided interface and support without forfeiting EOA-held assets to Polygon Labs. Recovery by other means may be impracticable afterward. This deadline concerns the zkEVM recovery interface, not a general MATIC-to-POL conversion deadline.
Ethereum fees and transaction status govern manual completion
Gas belongs to the network executing the transaction
Ethereum transactions charge gas in ETH, including the transactions that carry out the manual migration. The 1:1 token ratio describes the MATIC-to-POL exchange separately from those costs. Gas consumption and the applicable price per unit of gas determine the transaction fee. Polygon PoS transaction-cost figures do not price an Ethereum contract call.
The fee offer and current network demand influence when Ethereum includes a transaction. A fixed Polygon PoS confirmation figure cannot predict that Ethereum timing.
Transaction status determines whether conversion has finished
Submitted and pending transactions
A submitted transaction identifies a request awaiting its execution outcome. An approval grants access to tokens, so an approval receipt alone does not establish a completed conversion.
Successful execution and token receipt
The migration's successful execution and corresponding POL receipt establish completion for the converted amount. Both belong to Ethereum in the wallet route described here.
Further migration work depends on the remaining holding
A completed conversion closes the migration task for the amount exchanged. Revisit the question for a separate unstaked Ethereum MATIC balance, including holdings outside the wallet used previously. Ordinary Polygon PoS payments and DeFi interactions use the upgraded native gas token without requiring a fresh migration each time.
An existing POL balance on the intended network needs no additional MATIC-to-POL conversion. Wallet display maintenance remains a separate task. A different destination can create a bridging requirement, while another MATIC holding can create a fresh conversion decision.
Polygonfinance token migration: questions and answers
Can I migrate part of an unstaked MATIC balance on Ethereum?
The Ethereum migration contract accepts a selected amount, so a contract call does not inherently require the entire wallet balance. The contract exchanges only the specified quantity at the 1:1 rate. Any remaining MATIC stays outside that conversion, and the completed migration establishes receipt only for the amount exchanged.
Does the migration contract support returning POL to MATIC?
Reverse conversion through PolygonMigration version 1.2.0 requires its unmigrationLocked setting to be false. The contract includes POL-to-MATIC functions, and its owner can disable those functions through that setting. A completed MATIC-to-POL conversion therefore does not guarantee that the reverse route will remain available.
Why can a failed Ethereum migration still use ETH?
An Ethereum transaction that executes and reverts still incurs charges for the computation that it consumed. Reversion can leave the migration incomplete while the sending wallet pays gas in ETH. A transaction rejected before execution represents a different state, so a gas charge alone does not prove that token conversion succeeded.
What changes if an exchange holds my MATIC?
Exchange-held MATIC follows the exchange's own conversion handling and notices. The Portal wallet flow needs an Ethereum address that can authorize the upgrade contract's access to MATIC. A balance credited inside an exchange account does not itself provide that wallet control, and the exchange's conversion schedule does not follow automatically from Polygon PoS's native-token upgrade.
Is sending MATIC directly to the migration contract enough?
Sending MATIC directly to the migration contract does not perform the documented conversion and can cause loss of funds. Migration must invoke the contract's conversion function, which transfers MATIC and returns POL through its own logic. A plain token-transfer receipt does not establish that the conversion executed or that POL reached its recipient.