Polygon Co-Founder Bjelic Steps Down Amid Leadership Shifts

Mihailo Bjelic, the co-founder of Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution Polygon, has announced his departure from the Polygon Foundation board and his end of active involvement with Polygon Labs, effective May 23. In an open post, Bjelic reflected on the project’s evolution, acknowledging that as projects mature and grow, visions can diverge. He expressed his intention to continue supporting the ecosystem from a distance.

Bjelic’s exit has elicited a range of responses from the crypto community. Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal praised Bjelic as a driving force behind Polygon’s success. Other industry figures, including Polygon’s head of marketing and the CEO of Skale Network, also extended their well-wishes and congratulations. However, not all reactions were positive, with some expressing concerns about the impact of his departure on Polygon’s future.

Bjelic’s departure is part of a series of leadership changes at Polygon. Over the past two years, co-founders Jaynti Kanani and Anurag Arjun have also left the company. Arjun is now leading Avail, a data availability and consensus layer project. Despite these changes, Bjelic remains optimistic about the crypto environment and hinted at his continued presence in the space.

Despite the leadership transitions, Polygon continues to make significant strides. In March, DigiShares launched tokenized real estate on Polygon through RealEstate.Exchange (REX). Earlier in January, Indian telecom giant Jio Platforms announced a partnership with Polygon Labs to implement Web3 solutions. These developments underscore Polygon’s ongoing expansion and innovation, even as it navigates changes in its leadership structure.

As Bjelic steps back from his official roles, the focus shifts to the future of Polygon and its continued growth. The company’s strong foundation and Bjelic’s continued support suggest that Polygon is well-equipped to handle this transition. The broader implications of this leadership change for the blockchain industry remain to be seen, but Polygon’s commitment to innovation and adaptation positions it well for future success.