Polygon Connect: Main Stage

**Polygon's tokenomics show deflationary momentum** Year-to-date metrics reveal: - 28.85M POL collected in gas fees - 19.78M POL burned - 13.12M POL issued - Net deflationary rate: -1.00% annualized The burn mechanism removes more tokens from circulation than are created, creating scarcity. This marks a shift from inflationary models common in many blockchain networks. The data suggests consistent network activity driving fee collection while the burn rate exceeds new issuance.

**POL Token Metrics Update** Year-to-date data reveals a deflationary trend for POL: - **Usage**: Increasing activity and adoption - **Supply**: Decreasing total token supply - **Status**: Deflation mechanism now confirmed and active This combination of rising demand and falling supply creates classic deflationary tokenomics, potentially impacting long-term value dynamics for the Polygon ecosystem token.

Polygon has upgraded its canonical PoS USDT to **USDT0**, powered by LayerZero's OFT standard and backed 1:1 by USDT on Ethereum. **Key Features:** - Over **$1.3B in USDT liquidity** and **6M+ wallets** now integrated into the USDT0 ecosystem - Enables instant settlement with fewer intermediaries - Supports **multihop transactions** across chains including Unichain, Hyperliquid, Flare, and Tron in a single transaction - Eliminates need for wrapped tokens or traditional bridges **Additional Launch:** Polygon also introduced **XAUt0**, the omnichain version of Tether Gold, bringing native gold-backed liquidity to the network for the first time. **Use Cases:** - DeFi protocols can now integrate gold-backed collateral for borrowing and hedging - Frictionless liquidity for P2P payments and asset-backed finance - Portfolio diversification with real-world assets This upgrade positions Polygon as a multichain coordination layer for enterprise and institutional adoption, connecting legacy financial infrastructure with modern blockchain technology.

Polygon is positioning itself as infrastructure for global payroll by enabling companies to pay employees in stablecoins across 100+ countries in seconds. **How it works:** - Companies fund payroll using stablecoins on Polygon - Toku integrates with existing HR systems (ADP, Workday, Gusto) - Polygon provides the settlement layer - Toku handles compliance, tax reporting, and employee payouts The approach targets the $50 trillion global payroll market, which currently relies on legacy banking infrastructure. By using blockchain rails, companies can reduce costs, eliminate bank fees, and remove cross-border payment delays. The system allows businesses to move onchain without changing existing workflows or introducing new operational risk.

**Indian institutions are moving critical records to Polygon blockchain** - **BBD University** in Lucknow digitized degrees, ID cards, and certificates - cutting verification errors in half and eliminating fraud - **Three cities** (Amravati, Solapur, Kalyan-Dombivali) moved citizen documents onchain - birth records, permits, tax docs now verify in minutes vs months - **Maharashtra forensic labs** replaced paper trails with blockchain evidence tracking - creating tamper-proof chain of custody - **Festivals and conferences** switched from weeks-long printing processes to instant QR verification The shift creates **transparent, auditable government records** while dramatically reducing costs and processing times.