Binance Halts Polygon Transfers to Enable 5,000 TPS Leap in Network Scalability

Binance has announced a temporary suspension of Polygon (POL) network deposits and withdrawals starting at 13:12 UTC on October 8, 2025, to facilitate the "Rio" hard fork and network upgradeBinance To Halt Polygon Withdrawals To Support Network Upgrade^[1]. This maintenance period, which will last approximately an hour, aligns with the hard fork's activation at block height 77,414,656 (estimated at 14:12 UTC). The exchange emphasized that trading of Polygon-related tokens will remain unaffected, and no user action is required during the suspensionBinance to Pause Polygon Withdrawals for Network Upgrade on …^[2]. Deposits and withdrawals will resume once the upgraded Polygon PoS mainnet is deemed stable, though Binance will not issue further updatesBinance to Suspend Polygon Withdrawals on This Date: Reason^[3].

The Rio upgrade targets significant scalability improvements, aiming to increase the Polygon PoS network's transaction capacity to 5,000 transactions per second (TPS) while reducing hardware requirements for validatorsFrom Rio to GigaGas: Polygon’s Path to 5,000 TPS & Beyond^[4]. Key technical changes include the Validator-Elected Block Producer (VEBloP) model under PIP-64, which decentralizes block production by shifting decision-making to validators, and PIP-72's stateless block verification, enabling nodes to validate blocks without storing the entire blockchain statePolygon Gigagas Roadmap: 100,000 TPS, Stablecoin & RWA …^[5]. These updates are part of Polygon's broader "GigaGas" roadmap, designed to support global payments and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) by optimizing throughput and finalityPolygon’s Gigagas Leap: Powering the Future of Global Payments …^[6].

Binance's decision reflects standard operational protocols to ensure seamless asset transitions during blockchain maintenance. The suspension is intended to mitigate risks associated with the hard fork, such as network instability or reorganizations, which could disrupt user transactionsBinance To Halt Polygon Withdrawals To Support Network Upgrade^[1]. While the pause may inconvenience users requiring immediate transfers, the exchange's approach prioritizes long-term network stability and user securityBinance to Suspend Polygon Withdrawals on This Date: Reason^[3].

Polygon's Rio upgrade is a foundational step toward its 2025-2026 scaling goals. The GigaGas roadmap, outlined in July 2025, includes intermediate milestones such as the Bhilai hard fork (targeting 1,000 TPS and 5-second finality) and a mid-2025 phase aiming for 5,000 TPS with Agglayer integration for cross-chain liquidityPolygon’s ‘Gigagas’ Roadmap Targets 100K TPS - Cryptopolitan^[7]. The ultimate objective is to achieve 100,000 TPS by 2026, positioning Polygon as a universal layer for payments and RWA tokenizationPolygon Gigagas Roadmap: 100,000 TPS, Stablecoin & RWA …^[8]. Institutions like Stripe, Reliance Jio, and Apollo Asset Management have already integrated Polygon for stablecoin transactions and tokenized assets, highlighting its growing role in institutional financeFrom Rio to GigaGas: Polygon’s Path to 5,000 TPS & Beyond^[4].

Analysts note that the Rio upgrade's success hinges on validator adoption of the new architecture and the network's ability to handle high transaction volumes without compromising decentralizationPolygon’s ‘Gigagas’ Roadmap Targets 100K TPS - Cryptopolitan^[7]. While Polygon's PoS chain currently supports $2.5 billion in stablecoin capitalization and ranks among top blockchains for RWA value, scaling to 100,000 TPS will require sustained technical innovation and ecosystem alignmentPolygon’s Gigagas Leap: Powering the Future of Global Payments …^[6]. Binance's support for the upgrade underscores the exchange's commitment to maintaining compatibility with high-throughput blockchain networks, a critical factor for its global user base.