How to buy Polygon (MATIC) and bridge it to other networks?

Acquiring MATIC on Major Exchanges

1. Create an account on a regulated cryptocurrency exchange such as Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken.

2. Complete the required identity verification process to comply with KYC regulations.

3. Deposit fiat currency using bank transfer, credit card, or supported payment methods.

4. Navigate to the MATIC/fiat trading pair and place a market or limit order to purchase the desired amount.

5. Withdraw purchased MATIC to a self-custody wallet supporting Ethereum-compatible addresses for full control over private keys.

Setting Up a Web3 Wallet

1. Download and install MetaMask, Trust Wallet, or Coinbase Wallet on desktop or mobile.

2. Generate a new wallet or import an existing one using a 12- or 24-word recovery phrase.

3. Ensure the wallet is connected to the Ethereum Mainnet by default before proceeding.

4. Add the Polygon Mainnet network manually if not pre-configured: RPC URL https://polygon-rpc.com, Chain ID 137, Symbol MATIC.

5. Confirm that the wallet displays a valid Polygon balance after transferring MATIC from the exchange.

Using Official Polygon Bridge

1. Visit the official Polygon PoS Bridge at https://wallet.polygon.technology/bridge and connect your Web3 wallet.

2. Select the source chain — typically Ethereum Mainnet — and the destination chain — Polygon Mainnet.

3. Enter the amount of MATIC or ERC-20 tokens to bridge; note that bridging MATIC from Ethereum to Polygon requires wrapping into wMATIC.

4. Approve the token contract interaction and confirm the transaction on Ethereum; this step incurs gas fees in ETH.

5. Wait for checkpointing and finality; the process usually takes between 22 and 30 minutes due to PoS consensus requirements.

Third-Party Cross-Chain Bridges

1. Access trusted interoperability protocols like Synapse Protocol, Hop Exchange, or Across Protocol.

2. Connect your wallet and select Polygon as either origin or destination network depending on transfer direction.

3. Choose the asset — native MATIC, wMATIC, or other bridged tokens — and specify the amount.

4. Review slippage tolerance, estimated time, and fee breakdown including relayer and network charges.

5. Sign and submit the transaction; monitor status via the protocol’s dashboard or block explorers like Polygonscan or Etherscan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I bridge MATIC directly from BSC to Polygon?A: No native direct bridge exists between Binance Smart Chain and Polygon. Users must first convert BNB-based tokens to Ethereum-compatible versions via a multi-hop route or centralized exchange withdrawal.

Q: Why does my bridged MATIC appear as wMATIC on Polygon?A: The official Polygon Bridge wraps native MATIC into wMATIC when transferred from Ethereum to maintain ERC-20 compatibility; unwrapping occurs automatically upon bridging back.

Q: Is it safe to use unofficial third-party bridges?A: Risk levels vary significantly. Only audited, battle-tested bridges with transparent smart contracts and verifiable security track records should be considered; avoid unknown interfaces requesting private key exposure.

Q: Do I need ETH on Ethereum to bridge tokens to Polygon?A: Yes. Bridging from Ethereum requires ETH to pay for gas fees during approval and lock transactions; insufficient ETH will cause the process to stall or fail.