POL Rallies 50% Amid Open Money Stack Launch and Strategic Shift

Polygon’s POL token has surged more than 50% in a week, driven by steady on-chain demand and the launch of the Open Money Stack, a modular framework for bridging fiat and on-chain payments. The price rise is supported by growing network activity, with transaction volumes and unique addresses remaining stable, suggesting long-term demand rather than speculative buying. A strategic shift toward modular blockchain infrastructure and a potential $100–$125 million acquisition of Coinme, a major crypto ATM operator, has further boosted investor sentiment.

The Open Money Stack, launched by Polygon Labs, aims to streamline cross-border stablecoin transactions and provide a regulated environment for on-chain money movement. It is designed to be chain-neutral, enabling financial institutions to integrate blockchain infrastructure efficiently and reduce costs. The platform includes blockchain rails, wallet infrastructure, on- and off-ramps, stablecoin interoperability, and compliance tools.

Retail investors have been actively buying POL, while large holders are reducing exposure, signaling mixed market dynamics. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is showing bearish divergence, suggesting potential for a pullback unless POL maintains support above $0.155. If it breaks above $0.188 or $0.213, it could approach $0.253.

Polygon’s transaction fees and token burns have reached record levels, permanently removing tokens from circulation and contributing to price gains. High daily burn rates are currently removing about 1 million POL tokens per day. The top applications driving network usage include Circle, Uniswap, and Tether.

The potential acquisition of Coinme could position Polygon as a full-stack service bridging traditional finance and digital assets. If successful, it would expand Polygon’s reach into the U.S. and help bridge traditional and digital finance. The Open Money Stack is expected to roll out in phases, with early access currently available to design partners and further announcements on the horizon.

Market analysts predict a $0.45 price target for POL by February 2026, contingent on breaking key resistance levels and successful protocol upgrades. However, a move above $0.58 is seen as critical for a sustained recovery.

What Is Driving the Price Surge in POL? Polygon’s price surge is driven by the launch of the Open Money Stack, increased transaction volumes, and the potential acquisition of Coinme. The Open Money Stack is a modular framework designed to bridge traditional and blockchain-based payment systems. These developments align with Polygon’s broader strategy to become foundational infrastructure for programmable finance.

How Does the Open Money Stack Work? The Open Money Stack is a modular and vertically integrated platform that enables seamless, instant, and borderless on-chain money movement using stablecoins. It includes liquidity orchestration, compliance tooling, on- and off-ramps, wallet infrastructure, and on-chain yield mechanisms. The platform is designed to remain chain-neutral and interoperable, making it accessible to a wide range of financial institutions and developers.

What Are the Risks to the Current Rally? While the rally in POL is supported by strong on-chain demand and network usage, momentum indicators suggest a possible pullback. If the price breaks below $0.155, it could trigger a deeper correction toward $0.142 or even $0.098. Large holders have also started to reduce their exposure, which could signal a shift in market sentiment.

What Is the Long-Term Outlook for POL? Analysts predict a $0.45 price target for POL by February 2026, provided key resistance levels are breached and protocol upgrades are successful. The AggLayer v0.3 upgrade is expected to play a role in boosting demand for the token. A sustained break above the 20-day moving average at $0.43 would be a strong signal for a trend reversal.

The potential acquisition of Coinme could position Polygon as a full-stack service bridging traditional finance and digital assets. This acquisition would expand Polygon’s reach into the U.S. and help bridge traditional and digital finance. If the Open Money Stack gains widespread adoption, it could further strengthen Polygon’s position in the blockchain ecosystem.

How Does Polygon’s Tokenomics Support the Price Rally? Polygon’s tokenomics include a deflationary mechanism through token burns, which have reached record levels. High daily burn rates are currently removing about 1 million POL tokens per day. These burns permanently remove tokens from circulation, contributing to price gains. The top applications driving network usage include Circle, Uniswap, and Tether.

What Is the Broader Market Impact of the Open Money Stack? The Open Money Stack is designed to make global payments faster, cheaper, and accessible worldwide. It aims to close the infrastructure gap by offering a regulated environment for stablecoin-based transactions. This initiative is intended to enable businesses to integrate onboarding, cross-chain transfers, and on-chain experiences into a single platform.

Polygon’s strategy to expand beyond its Ethereum Layer-2 role and position itself as foundational infrastructure for programmable finance is a key factor in its current momentum. The Open Money Stack represents a significant step in this direction, with potential for widespread adoption in the financial industry.

What Are the Implications for Global Payments? The Open Money Stack has the potential to revolutionize global payments by making on-chain money movement more efficient and accessible. It includes components such as blockchain rails, wallet infrastructure, fiat on-ramps and off-ramps, stablecoin interoperability, compliance, and on-chain identity verification. The platform is designed to reduce complexity and time to market for financial institutions.

The modular framework is intended to keep capital on-chain and productive by default. This approach aligns with Polygon’s broader vision of creating a seamless and interoperable financial ecosystem. As the platform rolls out in phases, it could attract a wide range of financial institutions and developers.