Week #13 Roundup: Streamlined Credential Issuance in New Regions

**Polygon dominated payments in Q3 2025** with $1.82B processed across 50 platforms, marking a **49% increase** from Q2. Key highlights: - Stablecoin-linked crypto card volume reached **$322M** via Visa and Mastercard - POL market cap grew **39%** to $2.36B (vs 21% for total crypto market) - Stablecoin supply increased **22%** to nearly $3B, driven by USDT's 35% growth **Transaction costs continue falling** thanks to the Gigagas roadmap: - Average POL fee: 0.0114 POL (23.6% lower) - USD fee: $0.0027 (12.8% lower) **RWA tokenization** reached $1.14B with institutional backing from JusToken Global, Betoken, and DBM. The [full Messari report](https://messari.io/report/state-of-polygon-q3-2025) provides comprehensive Q3 data analysis.

Japan has officially launched the **world's first yen-pegged stablecoin** on Polygon, marking a significant milestone for both Japan's digital currency adoption and Polygon's ecosystem. Key developments: - JPYC received approval as Japan's first fully backed stablecoin - **1:1 peg** to the Japanese yen ensures stability - Built on Polygon for low fees and fast settlement This launch represents a shift from experimental digital payments to **government-backed adoption** of stablecoins. The move demonstrates how traditional financial systems are integrating blockchain technology for real-world use cases. Polygon's infrastructure provides the necessary foundation with its low transaction costs and global accessibility, making it an attractive platform for institutional stablecoin deployments.

Polygon's **Rio upgrade** is now live on mainnet, delivering the network's biggest payments upgrade to date. **Key improvements include:** - Near-instant finality with zero reorg risk - Increased throughput capacity heading toward 5k TPS - Lighter validator nodes reducing operational costs - New Validator-Elected Block Producer (VEBloP) architecture The upgrade introduces **one-block finality** through stateless block validation, where validators elect a single producer per span. This eliminates reorganization risks that previously caused delays for exchanges and payment applications. **Real-world impact:** Payment service providers gain higher capacity, while P2P apps can offer faster asset availability. The lighter node requirements lower barriers for validators and builders seeking direct network access. Rio represents a major milestone in Polygon's **gigagas roadmap**, positioning the network as infrastructure for global payments and real-world assets. [Read the full technical details](https://polygon.technology/blog/polygon-launches-major-payments-upgrade-with-rio-faster-lighter-and-easier-to-build)

**StableFlow** has launched a new bridging solution that enables **effortless stablecoin transfers** from any blockchain to Polygon. Key features: - Transfer amounts **up to $1M+** - Works from **any source chain** - Direct integration with **Polygon network** This follows StableFlow's previous launch of one-click transfers to Arbitrum, expanding their cross-chain infrastructure. The service aims to **simplify DeFi operations** by removing traditional bridging complexity for large stablecoin movements.

**Money Rails**, a one-day summit focused on the future of onchain payments, is set for **November 18** in Buenos Aires. The event brings together builders of global finance to discuss payment infrastructure and networking opportunities. Attendees will participate in: - Panel discussions on payment systems - Networking sessions - Access to payment industry insights The summit runs from **11:00-18:00** at the Devconnect Main Venue in Buenos Aires, Argentina. **Registration is free** for Devcon ticket holders. To register: 1. Visit [devconnect.org/calendar](https://devconnect.org/calendar?event=moneyrails) 2. Verify your Zupass Devconnect ticket 3. Register for your free Money Rails ticket Alternatively, register directly at [moneyrails.io](https://moneyrails.io/) The event is organized by Polygon Labs as part of the broader Devconnect conference activities.