Polygon Trims Workforce as It Pivots to $250M Stablecoin Payments Strategy

Polygon Labs has announced a significant reduction in its workforce, trimming up to 30% of its staff as part of a strategic shift toward a payments-first model. The move follows the company's acquisition of Coinme and Sequence for over $250 million, signaling a broader pivot toward regulated stablecoin infrastructure and on-chain money movement.

The restructuring has affected nearly 180 employees, with internal communications and social media posts indicating that the layoffs are primarily aimed at consolidating overlapping roles after the integration of the newly acquired firms. CEO Marc Boiron emphasized that the cuts are necessary to streamline operations and realign the workforce around the company's new "Open Money Stack" initiative.

Polygon's focus has shifted from pure scaling to a vertically integrated payments infrastructure that supports stablecoin transactions and global money movement. The "Open Money Stack" aims to simplify cross-border payments, leveraging the combined capabilities of Polygon, Coinme, and Sequence to deliver regulated, interoperable solutions.

Why Did This Happen?

Polygon's decision to reduce its workforce follows a strategic restructuring that began in late 2025 after the company announced plans to acquire two key players in the crypto payments space: Coinme, a U.S.-based fiat-to-crypto on-ramp, and Sequence, a cross-chain payment infrastructure provider. According to reports, the acquisitions were framed as a way to consolidate the fragmented stablecoin infrastructure and create a unified, regulated payments platform.

The acquisitions were framed as a way to consolidate the fragmented stablecoin infrastructure and create a unified, regulated payments platform. According to Polygon, the new infrastructure is designed to provide a single, modular toolkit for developers and businesses to manage and move digital assets seamlessly.

How Did Markets React?

Despite the internal turmoil, the market has responded with cautious optimism. Polygon's native token, POL, has shown resilience, with analysts noting increased whale activity and renewed demand.

The company has also announced network upgrades, including the Madhugiri upgrade, which has increased throughput and prepared the chain for higher transaction volumes. These improvements are expected to benefit stakers and validators by increasing on-chain throughput and network fees.

What Are Analysts Watching Next?

Polygon's ability to sustain its new payments-centric strategy will depend on its capacity to generate consistent revenue and utility beyond speculative trading cycles. The company has emphasized its goal of becoming the leading stablecoin money movement avenue in the world.

Analysts are also watching how Polygon's new strategy aligns with broader industry trends, particularly as traditional financial institutions and fintech players like Stripe, PayPal, and Visa move into the stablecoin space. The competitive landscape is intensifying, and Polygon's success will depend on its ability to differentiate its offering through compliance, scalability, and interoperability.

Polygon's recent layoffs mark the latest in a series of workforce adjustments, including a similar 20% reduction in early 2024. The company has emphasized that these moves are part of a lean, execution-oriented culture aimed at long-term sustainability.

The integration of Coinme and Sequence is expected to bring in specialized talent and regulatory expertise, balancing the workforce reduction. However, the challenge for Polygon will be to maintain momentum while managing the transition without disrupting ongoing operations.

The market's focus now turns to whether Polygon can deliver on its long-term vision of becoming the backbone of the global stablecoin payments infrastructure, particularly as regulatory frameworks in the U.S. continue to evolve.