The evolution to Polygon 2.0 represents a comprehensive reimagining of the entire ecosystem. With these technological advancements comes the need for a parallel evolution in how the ecosystem is governed. This new framework is designed to be decentralized, forward-looking, and entirely driven by its community, ensuring that the network remains secure, scalable, and aligned with the collective vision of its users.
At its core, the proposed governance model is built on the principle of open, inclusive deliberation. Every proposal is subject to community discussion and requires final approval from the network's stakeholders. This ensures that Polygon’s development continues to reflect the values and needs of those who use and maintain it.
The framework is structured around three distinct pillars, each addressing a key aspect of the ecosystem that requires clear governance. Inspired by proven models like Ethereum’s, this structure aims to create a scalable, efficient, and secure system for decentralized decision-making.
How the Governance Vision Was Formed
The foundation of Polygon 2.0’s governance was laid through extensive public discussion. A series of forum posts initiated the conversation, which was further enriched through community calls and open dialogues. This process invited feedback from a diverse group of participants, including validators, dApp developers, infrastructure providers, and everyday users.
The response has been overwhelmingly supportive, with many community members expressing enthusiasm for collaborating on bringing this governance vision to life. This open, build-in-public approach is a cornerstone of the web3 ethos and has been central to shaping the proposal.
To ensure transparency and ongoing accessibility, an interactive vision board serves as a central hub for all governance-related information. This resource allows anyone to explore the framework’s details, follow ongoing research, and find ways to participate in the conversation.
The Three Pillars of Polygon Governance
Just as a constitution outlines different levels of authority for different decisions—from local to federal—blockchain governance requires a clear topology of decision-making powers. The Three Governance Pillars provide this structure, categorizing all governable objects within the Polygon ecosystem and defining the appropriate mechanisms and decision-makers for each.
This separation of responsibilities allows for more scalable and efficient governance, minimizing complexity by compartmentalizing processes. The three pillars are: Protocol Governance, System Smart Contracts Governance, and Community Treasury Governance.
Pillar 1: Protocol Governance
The Polygon Improvement Proposal (PIP) framework is the engine for protocol upgrades. Modeled after successful systems used by Ethereum, Bitcoin, and other open-source projects, it provides a robust platform for researching, proposing, and implementing changes to the protocol.
Currently operational on the Polygon PoS chain, the PIP framework is used by both internal and external contributors. For Polygon 2.0, this framework will expand to cover the entire permissionless stack, formalizing the community’s role in shaping the network’s technical future.
To encourage wider participation, efforts are underway to improve accessibility. This includes the development of a user-friendly PIP knowledge base and enhancements to the governance forum experience, making it easier for everyone to contribute to protocol research and development.
Pillar 2: System Smart Contracts Governance
This pillar manages the upgrades for protocol components implemented as smart contracts. While these upgrades can be proposed through the PIP framework, they require an additional layer of governance due to the immutable nature of smart contracts on Ethereum.
To address this, the proposal introduces the Ecosystem Council. This community-governed body will be responsible for executing upgrades to system smart contracts. Its governance framework is designed to be secure, scalable, and explicit, aiming for a balance between efficiency and security through mechanisms like community veto power and token holder elections.
An initial version of the Ecosystem Council will soon be proposed via a PIP, featuring members with significant community consensus. The goal is a gradual evolution toward a fully community-controlled model. For transparency, an open-source dashboard will be launched to monitor all upgrade transactions and their lifecycles. 👉 Explore more strategies for on-chain governance
Pillar 3: Community Treasury Governance
To sustain long-term growth, the recently proposed Community Treasury will act as a self-sustainable fund for ecosystem development. As outlined in the tokenomics whitepaper, its purpose is to support public goods and provide funding for promising projects within the Polygon ecosystem.
The governance roadmap for the Treasury is structured in two phases:
- Phase 1: An independent Community Treasury Board will be established to manage initial funding efforts. This phase focuses on efficient, goal-oriented execution across various funding tracks. The initial board members will be selected from and by the community, fostering a transparent and dialog-driven culture.
- Phase 2: This phase will see a transition to more explicit community-driven governance over the Treasury itself. Novel mechanisms, such as quadratic voting, self-sovereign identities for sybil resistance, and reputation-based decision-making, will be explored to create a resilient and efficient model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main goal of Polygon 2.0's governance model?
The primary goal is to establish a decentralized, community-owned framework for decision-making. It is designed to be scalable, secure, and inclusive, ensuring that all stakeholders have a voice in the ecosystem's future development and resource allocation.
How can I participate in Polygon governance?
You can get involved by joining discussions on the governance forum, participating in community calls, and reviewing proposals on the interactive vision board. As the system evolves, community members will also be able to vote on proposals and participate in the Ecosystem Council and Treasury Board.
What is the Ecosystem Council and how is it formed?
The Ecosystem Council is a community-governed body responsible for upgrading system smart contracts. Its initial formation will be proposed via a PIP, with a reputable set of members. Over time, it will evolve into a fully community-elected council with transparent oversight mechanisms.
How will the Community Treasury be managed?
The Treasury will be managed through a two-phase roadmap. It begins with an independent Community Treasury Board for strategic funding and will gradually transition to a model with direct community governance using advanced voting and decision-making mechanisms.
How does Polygon's governance relate to Ethereum's?
Polygon’s governance is deeply inspired by Ethereum’s open and inclusive ethos. Just as Polygon technology expands Ethereum’s blockspace, its governance framework seeks to extend and adapt Ethereum's proven model of community building for its own ecosystem.
Building the Internet’s Value Layer Together
The path to Polygon 2.0 is a collective journey. Its success hinges on the active participation of a decentralized community governing a decentralized protocol. By engaging in forums, community calls, and the vision board, every member can help shape this future. Together, the community can build a robust and inclusive Value Layer for the Internet.