Mihailo Bjelic, co-founder of Polygon, announced that he was leaving the crypto project.

He announced his decision on X, saying he had thought over the issue and decided it was time to go.

Mihailo Bjelic, co-founder of Polygon, announced that he was leaving the crypto project. He announced his decision on X, saying that he had thought over the issue and decided that it was time to go. Bjelic will be leaving the board of Polygon Foundation and will wind down his involvement with Polygon Labs. Sandeep Nailwal will be the only remaining co-founder to work on the project.

Polygon, originally called Matic, was founded by four developers: Mihailo Bjelic, Sandeep Nailwal, Jaynti Kanani, and Anurag Arjun. Bjelic had a keen interest in blockchain Research and Development (R&D), contributing many technical whitepapers for the community. Nailwal acknowledged Bjelic’s contributions and wished him well for the future.

“Big L for Polygon. Amazing human being and a beacon of hope in this space. Best wishes, Mihailo!”, said Marc Zella, founder of Aave Chan.

Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, offered a warm farewell to his colleague Bjelic. Nailwal mentioned that Bjelic made a valuable contribution to the project.

“More than a co-founder, you’re a brother. And I’m deeply grateful for the impact you’ve had on this journey. I’ll cary [sic] forever the heat of our late-night discussions about the future we’re building. Together we've done great things”, said Nailwal.

He went on to say that Bjelic had a lasting influence on the blockchain, adding that most of the features on Polygon were influenced by Bjelic. He also pointed out that Bjelic had a firm conviction and was integral to starting the project.

“We’ll always cheer for you and wish you the best in your next endeavors, brother from another mother”, concluded Nailwal.

Bjelic co-founded the blockchain project in 2017, known then as the Matic Network. It was a layer 2 project built over the Ethereum network. As with many projects built over the Ethereum network, the focus was on improving transaction times and lowering fees. The Polygon team was focused on improving the usability of the blockchain for customers. They focused on building their project using the powerful features provided by the Ethereum network. They aimed to create a blockchain that could scale easily.

Polygon has contributed to blockchain research and development, providing new areas of study for zero-knowledge proofs and proof of stake. Even today, the blockchain is still being developed and new features are being added. However, Bjelic no longer wishes to be part of this project and feels that his goals have diverged from the project’s goals.

"After much deliberation, I've decided to leave my role at Polygon. It's a bittersweet moment, to say the least. To the entire community, thank you for being part of this incredible journey. I'm filled with gratitude for the support and inspiration throughout the years. As this chapter comes to an end, I'm excited for what the future holds and looking forward to continuing to contribute to the Web3 ecosystem in new and meaningful ways. Stay tuned!", said Bjelic in his announcement on X.

Arjun left Polygon to build the blockchain service Avail, which operates a consensus layer. Meanwhile, the blockchain has implemented more Web3 functionality to boost the network and improve customer service.

Bjelic discovered crypto in 2013 and went down a self-discovery rabbit hole, learning everything he could about the new technology. When he joined the Polygon project, he was able to use a wealth of knowledge that he had built up during his exploration days. Polygon became one of the top scalability options on the Ethereum blockchain because of his contribution. He said that he worked on technical improvements, such as with zero-knowledge proofs, to fulfill his vision of a truly scalable blockchain.

However, for someone with such a strong vision, he has found that his vision has diverged from the vision of Polygon. He attributes this development to a natural occurrence where projects and people evolve, diverging from their starting point. Due to his changing path, he feels that he can no longer contribute to Polygon to the best of his abilities.

"We started this journey with a shared vision for the future of Web3. But as projects and people evolve, so do our goals and aspirations. I've reached a point where I feel that my vision has naturally diverged from the direction the project is heading. And while I'm excited to see what the next chapter holds for Polygon, I believe that it's time for me to move on and pursue new opportunities where I can continue making an impact in accordance with my evolving vision. I'm filled with immense gratitude for the incredible journey we've shared. Together, we've achieved milestones that seemed nearly impossible at the time. We've pushed boundaries and strived to create