Polygon Co-Founder Mihailo Bjelic Steps Back from Layer 2 Project

In a significant personnel announcement, Mihailo Bjelic has decided to step down from his leadership roles within Polygon. As one of the four co-founders of this prominent Layer 2 network, Bjelic’s departure marks a notable transition for the project. Through a statement shared on social media, Mihailo Bjelic revealed his decision: “After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to step down from the board of the Polygon Foundation, and wind down my day-to-day involvement with Polygon Labs.” This move indicates Bjelic is distancing himself from active involvement in the network’s day-to-day operations and strategic governance.

Mihailo Bjelic’s Departure Leaves Sandeep Nailwal as Sole Founding Member

The exit of Mihailo Bjelic transforms the founding team structure significantly. Originally, Polygon—which began as Matic—was established by four co-founders: Jaynti Kanani, Sandeep Nailwal, Mihailo Bjelic, and Anurag Arjun. With Mihailo Bjelic’s decision to exit, Sandeep Nailwal now stands as the only remaining original founding member actively involved in the project. Nailwal publicly acknowledged Bjelic’s contributions and extended his best wishes for whatever comes next in his career. The transition reflects the typical evolution of cryptocurrency projects, where founding members move toward different endeavors as protocols mature and new leadership takes over.

Polygon Foundation Changes and Team Restructuring

Bjelic’s stepping back from the Polygon Foundation board represents a deliberate shift in the network’s governance structure. The Layer 2 solution, which rebranded from its original Matic identity to Polygon, has grown into one of the most widely adopted scaling solutions in the Ethereum ecosystem. As the project scales and matures, such leadership transitions are common in the cryptocurrency space. Polygon Labs, the development entity behind the protocol, will continue its work with Nailwal maintaining his position as a key figure in the project’s evolution.

POL Token Performance Amid Leadership Transition

The market has begun responding to the leadership changes within Polygon. The project’s native token, POL, currently trades at $0.10, with a 24-hour change of +2.06%. This represents the real-time market sentiment following the announcement. The token’s movement reflects investor interest in how the organizational restructuring might impact Polygon’s long-term trajectory. As Mihailo Bjelic moves away from his day-to-day responsibilities, the community is watching closely to see how the project sustains its competitive position in the increasingly crowded Layer 2 ecosystem. Sandeep Nailwal’s continued leadership suggests the network will maintain its strategic direction despite the departure of one of its founding architects.