Polygon’s Sandeep Nailwal Takes Full Control as CEO, Shifts Strategy Amidst Industry Challenges

Sandeep Nailwal Assumes Full Executive Control of Polygon

Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, has officially taken over as the sole Chief Executive Officer of the Polygon Foundation, marking a significant shift in the project’s governance structure. This move involves dissolving the existing board, a decision Nailwal describes as essential for streamlining operations and accelerating decision-making processes. He emphasized that the previous board-led model had led to delays in decision-making, with actions that should have taken weeks sometimes extending over two months. By assuming full control, Nailwal aims to provide clear direction and focused execution, steering the project through its next phase of development.

Strategic Shift Towards Real-World Assets and AggLayer

Under Nailwal’s leadership, Polygon is pivoting its focus towards integrating real-world assets (RWAs) and enhancing stablecoin payment systems through its Proof-of-Stake (PoS) chain. A key component of this strategy is the AggLayer, an interoperability protocol designed to unify fragmented blockchain networks. The AggLayer v0.3 is expected to be released by the end of the year, aligning with Polygon’s broader vision of creating a seamless internet of blockchains. Additionally, the team plans to sunset the zkEVM chain by 2026, citing performance and development bottlenecks that hindered scalability and builder engagement.

Industry Reactions and Future Outlook

The industry’s response to Nailwal’s assumption of CEO responsibilities has been mixed. Some stakeholders praise the move as a necessary step to inject agility and decisiveness into Polygon’s operations. However, others express concerns about the dissolution of the board and the potential risks associated with consolidating leadership. As Polygon embarks on this new phase, all eyes will be on its ability to execute its ambitious roadmap, including the Gigagas initiative aimed at achieving 100,000 transactions per second, and the successful integration of RWAs and stablecoin solutions. The coming months will be critical in determining whether this strategic overhaul positions Polygon for sustained growth and relevance in the evolving blockchain ecosystem.