Polygon settles volume through AggLayer and POL

Polygon moved $741 billion in stablecoin transfers so far in 2026. This follows $933 billion in volume from 2025. The transition from MATIC to POL reached 99% completion by September 2025, which allows POL to function as the native gas and staking token across the entire, interconnected Polygon blockchain ecosystem. The 2% annual emission model funds network security and community grants via an independent board. While the POL price sits between $0.09 and $0.10, which is 90% below its all-time high, the network supports consumer apps like Reddit and Nike. The AggLayer unifies liquidity and security across these connected chains. In June, a capacity upgrade raised the network to 5,000 payments per second. In September, the community completed a 100 million POL burn from previously collected base fees. Polymarket recorded $1.16 billion in monthly trading volume in June 2025. Revolut moved $810 million on Polygon in 2025 and rolled out EURR, its first euro stablecoin, on Polygon and Ethereum in August. In August, Wyoming’s government-backed stablecoin, the Frontier Stable Token (FRNT), launched on the Polygon network. Mastercard also selected Polygon for expanded settlement options.

Relayer fees and validator costs

Cosmos Hub faces sustainability issues because IBC relayers pay gas for most transactions. A recent increase in the base fee to 0.005uATOM means relayers spend capital. Relayers in the Cosmos ecosystem scan connected chains and submit transactions to relay packets of data. Relayers use software such as Hermes or RLY to pick up packets and post verifications. Relayers must perform two transactions to relay a single packet, which increases operational costs. The Cosmos Hub processes over 400,000 IBC messages monthly. This activity costs relayers between 1,500 and 2,000 ATOM per month. Because of these expenses, four active relayers stopped relaying by keeping their wallets empty. A proposal seeks 8,000 ATOM for a three-month multisig to cover these costs. This multisig includes signers like Clemens from CryptoCrew and Ghazni from StakeCito. The proposal targets a 3/5 multisig to distribute fee-grants to vetted relayers.

Avalanche subnet validators face different pressures. These validators must stake 2,000 AVAX and validate all three primary network chains. This requirement creates a barrier for smaller projects and developers. Hardware and employee costs for subnets often exceed $15,000. The Etna Upgrade introduced L1 validators to address this. L1 validators pay a monthly fee of approximately 1.33 AVAX and do not need to stake 2,000 AVAX. Subnet validators must also sync the P-Chain to track validator weights and support cross-subnet communication via Avalanche Warp Messaging.

Comparing cross-chain economics

Polygon differentiates its model by using POL to power a unified ecosystem. This differs from the Cosmos model where relayers operate as a public good. In Cosmos, relayers often lose money, leading to a request for 8,000 ATOM for a three-month period. Can the Cosmos Hub maintain its interoperability without such community-funded subsidies?

Avalanche provides an alternative via L1s, which reduce resource requirements by removing the need to validate the Primary Network. If you are managing a validator set, consider how these different fee structures affect your hardware depreciation. While Polygon relies on the AggLayer to aggregate liquidity, Avalanche relies on the P-Chain for validator management. Small validators might find operating unfeasible because they must stake 2,000 AVAX, which cost roughly $20,000 at the time of writing. The 2,000 AVAX bond also acts as a hurdle for those trying to build custom rollups. Developers using the CDK can opt into Polygon’s AggLayer to tap into shared liquidity across chains.