Polygon Co-Founder Bids Adieu: What’s Next for the Blockchain World?

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Well, well, well, if it ain’t Mihailo Bjelic, the co-founder of Polygon, announcing his grand exit from the board of the Polygon Foundation. It seems like just yesterday he was knee-deep in the crypto muck, and now he’s decided to take a leisurely stroll away from the hustle and bustle. 🏃‍♂️💨

On a fine Friday, May 23, 2025, Bjelic took to the digital town square known as X to share his decision, stating he’d also be “winding down” his daily shenanigans with Polygon Labs. I reckon he’s got a hankering for a quieter life, perhaps sipping lemonade on a porch somewhere. 🍋

“Polygon was born in 2019, and we’ve come a long way since then,” Bjelic mused. “From significant breakthroughs in zero-knowledge tech to onboarding some of the world’s biggest brands, we’ve made meaningful strides toward that grand vision. I’m proud of this, and grateful for the privilege to work with so many talented people.”

Now, let’s not forget, this fella first dipped his toes into the crypto waters back in 2013, and by 2017, he was diving deep down the rabbit hole like a curious rabbit on a mission. 🐇💰

He co-founded Polygon, a layer-2 scaling solution on Ethereum (ETH), alongside his trusty sidekicks Jaynti Kanani, Sandeep Nailwal, and Anurag Arjun. This project, which has become the belle of the blockchain ball in the U.S. in 2023, even rebranded from its original name, Matic Network. Talk about a glow-up! ✨

As for his reasoning, Bjelic elaborated:

“As projects evolve and mature, it is natural for visions to evolve, and sometimes diverge. With this in mind, I can no longer contribute to Polygon to the best of my abilities.”

So, while he may be stepping back, he’s still got faith that Polygon will keep on truckin’. He plans to offer his support “from the sidelines,” which sounds suspiciously like a fancy way of saying he’ll be watching from the couch. 🛋️

With Bjelic’s departure, he joins his fellow co-founders Jaynti Kanani and Anurag Arjun in the great exodus from active roles at this blockchain project. Kanani took his leave in October 2023, while Arjun gallivanted off in March 2023 to focus on his modular blockchain project, Avail. Must be nice to have options! 😏

Nailwal took to X to express his sentiments, saying words can’t quite capture what Bjelic means to him and to Polygon. Aww, isn’t that sweet?

“More than a co-founder, you’re a brother. From the earliest days — whiteboards full of ideas, endless whitepapers, governance frameworks, strategy calls deep into the night — you have been a force behind so much of what makes Polygon what it is today,” he added.

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2025-05-23 23:27