Picture Polygon as being like an express train on a subway — it travels along the same route as the regular train, but it makes fewer stops and thus moves much faster. (In this analogy the main Ethereum blockchain is the local train.) To create new MATIC and secure the network, Polygon uses a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism — which means that one way you earn money on MATIC you hold is via staking.
Validators do the heavy lifting — they verify new transactions and add them to the blockchain. In exchange, they may receive a cut of fees and newly created MATIC. Becoming a validator is a commitment that requires running a full-time node (or computer) and staking your own MATIC. If you make an error or act maliciously (or even if your internet connection is glitchy) you could lose some of your staked MATIC.
Delegators stake their MATIC indirectly via a trusted validator. This is a much lower-commitment version of staking. But it still requires research — if the validator you pick acts maliciously or makes errors you could lose some or all of your staked MATIC.
The Polygon network allows you to do many of the same things the main Ethereum network allows, but with fees that are often a fraction of a cent. You can try decentralized exchanges like QuikSwap or SushiSwap, yield-generating lending and savings protocols like Aave, NFT markets like OpenSea, or even “no-loss prize games” like Pooltogether.
To try the Polygon network, you need to send some crypto to a compatible crypto wallet like Coinbase Wallet. You can then “bridge” some of your crypto — stablecoins are a popular choice for this — to the Polygon network. You’ll also need to bridge some MATIC to make transactions, but even a dollar’s worth is plenty because fees are so low.
Released: October 2017
