How to Create an NFT on the Polygon (MATIC) Network.

Setting Up Your Wallet for Polygon

1. Install MetaMask browser extension and create a new wallet or import an existing one.

2. Add the Polygon Mainnet network manually using the official RPC details: RPC URL is https://polygon-rpc.com, Chain ID is 137, Symbol is MATIC, and Block Explorer URL is https://polygonscan.com.

3. Acquire MATIC tokens via centralized exchanges like Binance or Coinbase, then withdraw them to your MetaMask address on the Polygon network.

4. Confirm successful balance display in MetaMask by switching to the Polygon network and checking the MATIC balance.

5. Ensure gas fees remain low by verifying current network congestion levels on Polygonscan’s dashboard before initiating transactions.

Selecting an NFT Minting Platform

1. Open OpenSea and connect your MetaMask wallet, ensuring it is set to Polygon network before proceeding.

2. Navigate to the “Create” section and choose “Polygon” as the blockchain for minting — this enables gas-free lazy minting.

3. Explore alternative platforms such as Rarible, Mintbase, or Manifold Studio, each supporting Polygon-native deployments with distinct UI flows.

4. Compare platform-specific features including royalty settings, collection-level verification options, and metadata storage methods.

5. Avoid platforms that force Ethereum mainnet deployment unless explicitly intending to pay higher fees.

Preparing Digital Assets and Metadata

1. Format image files in PNG, JPG, or GIF with dimensions optimized for display across marketplaces — recommended size is 1000x1000 pixels.

2. Write concise yet descriptive titles and attributes; use standardized trait types like “Background”, “Eyes”, or “Clothing” for compatibility with rarity tools.

3. Store media files on decentralized services like IPFS using Pinata or nft.storage to ensure permanent, censorship-resistant links.

4. Generate JSON metadata files compliant with the ERC-1155 or ERC-721 standard, including fields such as name, description, image URI, and attributes array.

5. Validate JSON structure using online linters to prevent minting failures caused by syntax errors or missing required keys.

Deploying the NFT Collection

1. On OpenSea, click “Create a collection” and fill in branding details including name, description, profile image, and banner.

2. Select “Polygon” under blockchain and configure primary sale fee percentage — note that OpenSea charges 2.5% on secondary sales.

3. Submit collection creation; wait for moderation approval which may take up to 48 hours depending on volume.

4. Once approved, proceed to “Add new item”, upload prepared assets, input metadata, and set properties before clicking “Create”.

5. Confirm the transaction in MetaMask; no gas fee is required at this stage since OpenSea uses lazy minting until first sale.

Listing and Selling the NFT

1. After minting, navigate to your item’s page and click “Sell” to initiate listing configuration.

2. Choose between fixed price, declining price, or auction formats — all supported on Polygon through OpenSea.

3. Set price in MATIC, specify duration, and confirm listing terms including royalty percentages payable on future resales.

4. Sign the listing transaction via MetaMask; this step incurs a small gas fee denominated in MATIC.

5. Monitor listing status on your profile page and verify visibility on the OpenSea marketplace homepage under Polygon-filtered results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need ETH to mint on Polygon? No. Polygon operates independently from Ethereum’s base layer; only MATIC is required for on-chain actions like finalizing listings.

Q: Can I transfer my Polygon NFT to Ethereum mainnet? Yes, but only after bridging via the official Polygon Bridge — this requires locking assets on Polygon and minting equivalents on Ethereum.

Q: Why does my NFT show “Not verified” on OpenSea? Verification depends on OpenSea’s internal review process and requires submitting documentation proving ownership of the collection’s smart contract and domain.

Q: Is it possible to change NFT metadata after minting? Only if the original JSON file was hosted on mutable storage; using IPFS with content-addressed hashes ensures immutability unless re-uploaded with new CID.