Key Shutdown Timeline
Published 6/22/2026, 1:35:18 AM
Polygon zkEVM Mainnet Beta is scheduled to shut down on July 1, 2026, at 00:00 UTC [Source: https://www.kucoin.com/news/flash/polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-to-be-decommissioned-on-july-1-2026]. This decommissioning marks the transition of Polygon’s ZK technology into the broader AggLayer ecosystem rather than maintaining a standalone beta network [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
The impact on the user base is bifurcated: while simple wallet balances are protected by an auto-migration mechanism, assets locked in DeFi protocols face a critical risk of permanent loss if not moved manually before the deadline.
Key Shutdown Timeline
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Announcement | June 11, 2025 | Completed |
| PancakeSwap Support End | July 29, 2025 | Completed |
| Official Network Shutdown | July 1, 2026 | Upcoming |
| Final Claim Deadline | December 31, 2027 | Future |
Impact on User Assets
The shutdown affects users differently based on how their assets are stored:
- Wallet-Held Assets (EOAs): Funds held directly in wallets like MetaMask are relatively safe. An exit snapshot will be taken at the time of shutdown, and these balances will be automatically migrated to Ethereum L1 [Source: https://polygon.technology/polygon-zkevm]. Users can claim these assets via the AggLayer Interface starting after the shutdown [Source: https://x.com/QuickswapDEX].
- DeFi & Smart Contract Assets: This is the highest risk category. Assets in Liquidity Pools (LPs), staking contracts, vaults, or multisigs will not be auto-migrated [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020]. Because the sequencer will stop processing transactions on July 1, users will be unable to trigger the smart contract functions necessary to withdraw these funds after that date.
- Claim Period: Users have until December 31, 2027, to claim migrated assets from the Ethereum L1 portal. After this date, unclaimed funds will be considered abandoned [Source: https://blog.pancakeswap.finance/articles/PolygonzkEVMSunset].
Migration and Ecosystem Alternatives
Polygon Labs has positioned this shutdown as a consolidation move. The ZK proving technology used in the zkEVM has been integrated into the Polygon CDK and the AggLayer, which remain operational [Source: https://polygon.technology/polygon-zkevm].
- Manual Bridging: Users are encouraged to use the AggLayer Bridge to move assets to Polygon PoS or Ethereum before July 1 to avoid the manual claim process later.
- Protocol Support: Major dApps like QuickSwap and PancakeSwap have provided "Legacy" interfaces to help users close out positions [Source: https://x.com/QuickswapDEX].
- Developer Transition: Polygon Labs is providing transitional grants to help projects migrate their infrastructure to other chains within the Polygon ecosystem [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
In summary, the shutdown will force a total migration of the zkEVM user base. While the "read-only" mode and auto-migration protect passive holders, active DeFi participants must take manual action within the next few days to avoid total loss of capital.
Next Steps:
- Would you like me to check your wallet address for any remaining balances or active DeFi positions on Polygon zkEVM?
- I can help you bridge your assets from Polygon zkEVM to Polygon PoS or Ethereum — which token and amount would you like to move?