Polygon Co-Founder Steps Down Amid Vision Shift and Changes

• Bjelic, a key figure at Polygon since 2017, exits the project over differing future visions.
• His departure follows two other founders who also stepped away to build new ventures.
• Polygon continues strong performance in 2025 despite changes in leadership and direction.

Mihailo Bjelic, co-founder of Polygon, announced his resignation on May 23, 2025, ending all daily involvement with Polygon Labs and its Foundation. He cited diverging visions as the reason for stepping down, marking a pivotal moment for the Ethereum Layer 2 network.

“As projects evolve and mature, it is natural for visions to evolve and sometimes diverge,” Bjelic posted on X. “With this in mind, I can no longer contribute to Polygon to the best of my abilities,” he added.

A Key Architect of Polygon’s Growth Steps Away

Bjelic co-founded Polygon in 2017, originally launched as Matic Network, to solve Ethereum’s scaling issues. Since then, Polygon has developed sidechains, decentralized ID tools, and zero-knowledge rollups. He was crucial in building one of Ethereum’s most notable Layer 2 networks. Industry observers credit Bjelic and his team with onboarding global brands and pushing zk-technology forward.

Despite his exit, Bjelic expressed continued enthusiasm for crypto’s potential to empower individuals and transform systems for greater equity. He said he remains motivated by that conviction and will stay active.

Besides, Bjelic emphasized his appreciation for the talent within the Polygon community, calling it a “privilege” to work with them. However, his decision reflects a shift in the internal dynamics of the project’s vision.

Reactions and Industry Impact

Fellow co-founder Sandeep Nailwal publicly acknowledged Bjelic’s contribution, noting his leadership through the early development phases of Polygon. “From whiteboards full of ideas to governance frameworks, you have been a force behind so much,” Nailwal said. Polygon’s head of marketing, Leon Stern, also paid tribute, saying Bjelic would be missed and thanked him for his contributions. Jack O’Holleran, CEO of Skale Network, called on Bjelic to take pride in his achievements and hinted at his potential future impact.

Marc Zella of the Aave-chan Initiative described the resignation as a “Big L for Polygon,” echoing the broader sentiment in the crypto ecosystem. Bjelic’s exit is the third high-profile departure from Polygon in two years. Jaynti Kanani stepped down in October 2023, while Anurag Arjun left earlier in 2023 to focus on Avail, a modular blockchain data layer.

Related: Brave Launches Blockchain-Based “.brave” Domain on Polygon

What’s Next for Polygon and Bjelic?

As Polygon enters its next chapter, questions emerge: Can it maintain its momentum without its founding leadership? Despite recent changes among its executives, Polygon’s results in Q1 are showing the company is still strong and flexible. It remains uncertain where Bjelic will appear in the crypto community, making everyone speculate what’s next.

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