Gas is paid in POL, not MATIC
POL replaced MATIC as the native token of Polygon PoS and is what transactions are paid in (Polygon documentation). Wallets and block explorers updated at different times, so an old interface may still show the former name for the same balance. A stablecoin transfer that arrives with no POL beside it cannot be moved on until some arrives.
Two USDC tokens circulate on Polygon
Circle issues native USDC on Polygon PoS; the older bridged token, USDC.e, came over from Ethereum and is not issued by Circle (Circle). They are separate contracts with separate balances. An exchange or a swap that lists only one of them does not treat the other as the same token. The quotes here use native USDC.
Coming in and going out are not symmetrical
The official PoS bridge mints tokens on Polygon when they are locked on Ethereum. The return trip burns them on Polygon and releases them on Ethereum only after a checkpoint is submitted and an exit claimed (Polygon documentation). Third-party bridges do not go through that sequence, and each sets its own price, which is why their quotes differ from each other and from the official route.
The exchange comparison
Where an exchange we track supports Polygon for the token you selected, its withdrawal fee is listed beside the bridges, including when it is the lower number. It leaves out the cost of getting funds onto the exchange and any account requirements.
Questions
How do I bridge assets to Polygon?
Either through the official PoS bridge from Ethereum, or through a third-party provider from any network including Ethereum. Both are compared here, along with the withdrawal fee of the exchanges we track.
How do I convert MATIC to POL?
It is an upgrade, not a trade: POL replaced MATIC as the native token of Polygon PoS at a one-to-one rate through a migration contract, and gas on the network is paid in POL. Balances held on an exchange were converted by the exchange itself.
How does the Polygon bridge work?
The official PoS bridge locks tokens on Ethereum and mints them on Polygon. Going back, the tokens are burned on Polygon and released on Ethereum only after a checkpoint of that transaction is submitted to Ethereum and an exit is claimed.
How long does the Polygon bridge take?
Into Polygon each provider sets its own pace and publishes an estimate. Out of Polygon through the official bridge, the wait is set by the checkpoint and exit steps rather than by any provider.
How do I add Polygon to MetaMask?
Polygon is one of the networks MetaMask supports; if it is not already switched on, add it from "Additional networks" in the network selector. A token the wallet does not detect has to be added by its contract address — which is where the two USDC tokens below cause confusion.
Sources
- Polygon documentation — POL, the native token of Polygon PoS · checked 2026-09-12
- Polygon documentation — withdrawing an ERC-20 from Polygon PoS (burn, checkpoint, exit) · checked 2026-09-12
- Circle — native USDC on Polygon PoS · checked 2026-09-12
- MetaMask Help Center — how to add a network · checked 2026-09-13