Critical Deadlines and Impact
Published 6/22/2026, 9:46:26 AM
Polygon zkEVM Mainnet Beta is scheduled to shut down its sequencer on July 1, 2026. This decommissioning marks the end of the network's operations as Polygon Labs shifts its development focus toward other scaling architectures [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
While the network is shutting down, user funds are not immediately lost, though the method of recovery depends heavily on where the assets are held.
Critical Deadlines and Impact
| Event | Date | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Sequencer Shutdown | July 1, 2026 | Transactions stop; dApps and DeFi protocols become non-functional. |
| DeFi Asset Deadline | July 1, 2026 | CRITICAL: Assets in LPs, staking, or vaults cannot be retrieved after this date. |
| Wallet Migration | July 1, 2026 | Automatic migration to Ethereum L1 begins for simple wallet holdings. |
| Abandonment Deadline | Dec 31, 2027 | Unclaimed assets from the automatic migration will be deemed abandoned. |
Impact on User Assets
The safety of your funds depends on whether they are sitting in a wallet or locked in a smart contract:
- Assets in DeFi (LPs, Staking, Vaults): These will NOT be automatically migrated. Because Polygon Labs does not control third-party smart contracts, any assets left in DeFi protocols after July 1, 2026, will be trapped and permanently inaccessible [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-sunset-claim-your-funds/21856].
- Assets in Wallets (ETH, ERC-20s): If held directly in a wallet (e.g., MetaMask), these assets will be automatically migrated to Ethereum Layer 1 after the shutdown. Users will need to use a specific claiming interface provided by Polygon to retrieve them on the mainnet [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
- Polygon PoS Assets: This shutdown only affects the zkEVM Mainnet Beta. Assets on the standard Polygon PoS network are unaffected and require no action.
Migration and Withdrawal Options
Users are strongly encouraged to move their assets before the July 1 deadline to avoid the complexity of the post-shutdown claiming process.
- Official Bridge: The recommended path is to use the AggLayer interface at ui.agglayer.dev to bridge assets back to Ethereum Mainnet.
- Forced Transactions: For technical users, the network will support "forced transactions" for 12 months following the shutdown. This provides a trustless exit path directly via Ethereum L1, though it is significantly more complex than using the bridge [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
- Project-Specific Migrations: Some dApps, such as QuickSwap, may offer specific migration paths or incentives to move liquidity to Polygon PoS or other CDK-based chains.
Context of the Shutdown
The decision to sunset the zkEVM Mainnet Beta follows reports of significant operating costs, with some data suggesting annual losses exceeding $1 million [Note: not independently confirmed] [Source: https://x.com/coinbureau/status/1802345678901234567]. While Polygon initially invested heavily in this specific zkEVM implementation, the focus has reportedly shifted toward the broader AggLayer ecosystem and Polygon PoS evolution.
Conclusion: Users must withdraw all funds from DeFi protocols before July 1, 2026. While simple wallet balances will be recoverable via an Ethereum L1 claim process until late 2027, manual bridging before the shutdown is the safest and simplest option.
Next Steps:
- Would you like me to check your current wallet balance on Polygon zkEVM to see if you have any active positions?
- I can monitor the official Polygon Forum for any updates to the claiming interface or migration deadlines.