USDC on Polygon

Polygon is the blockchain Polymarket runs on, and for years Polymarket balances were held as a version of USDC on Polygon. Today there are three dollar tokens you might meet there: native USDC, the older bridged USDC.e, and Polymarket’s own pUSD. This guide explains the difference and how to avoid sending the wrong one, from Polygon’s, Circle’s and Polymarket’s documentation, checked October 2026.

What is Polygon?

Polygon PoS is a blockchain compatible with Ethereum’s apps and wallets, with lower fees, that periodically records checkpoints on Ethereum. Its gas and staking token is POL, which replaced MATIC one-for-one in a migration that went live in September 2024; holdings on Polygon itself were converted automatically.

Native USDC vs USDC.e

Both are called “USDC” in many wallets, so check the contract address when it matters. Circle’s developer documentation lists the official native address.

pUSD: Polymarket’s token

Since its April 2026 exchange upgrade, Polymarket holds trading balances as pUSD (Polymarket USD), a token on Polygon backed one-to-one by USDC through its smart contracts. You don’t need to buy pUSD yourself: Polymarket converts deposits into it and converts back when you withdraw. If you withdraw pUSD directly, note that some exchanges don’t accept it. See Polymarket deposits and withdrawals.

Sending USDC to Polymarket safely

1. Open Polymarket’s deposit screen and pick the network you’ll send from; each network has its own address and minimum.
2. On your exchange, choose the same token and the same network. Polygon is usually cheap; Ethereum is usually the most expensive.
3. Send a small test amount first if you’re unsure, then the rest.

Polymarket says deposits sent to the wrong network or address can’t be reversed by its support team, though it offers a self-service recovery tool for some cases.

FAQ

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