Critical Deadlines and Migration Paths
Published 6/22/2026, 12:06:49 PM
Polygon zkEVM users have a clear path to a "safe home," but the safety of their assets depends heavily on the type of holdings and the timing of their actions. Polygon Labs has scheduled the permanent sequencer shutdown of the Polygon zkEVM Mainnet Beta for July 1, 2026 [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
While a safety net exists for simple wallet holdings, assets locked in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols face significant risks if not moved manually before the deadline.
Critical Deadlines and Migration Paths
The transition involves two primary destinations: Ethereum Mainnet (L1) for automated recovery and Polygon PoS for active users seeking a similar low-fee environment.
| Asset Type | Migration Method | Destination | Action Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallet Holdings (EOA) | Automatic | Ethereum L1 | Claim via ui.agglayer.dev before Dec 31, 2027. |
| DeFi Positions (LPs/Vaults) | Manual | User Choice | Must withdraw before July 1, 2026. |
| Smart Contract Wallets | Manual | User Choice | Must migrate before July 1, 2026. |
1. The "Safe Home" for Passive Holders
For users holding standard tokens (like ETH, MATIC, or USDC) directly in wallets like MetaMask, Polygon has implemented an automatic migration to Ethereum Layer 1.
- Claim Process: After July 1, 2026, these assets will be accessible through a dedicated interface [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-sunset-claim-your-funds/21856].
- Final Deadline: Users have until December 31, 2027, to claim these migrated funds. After this date, unclaimed assets are considered abandoned [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
2. Risks to DeFi and Smart Contract Users
The transition is not "safe" for users with assets in complex smart contracts. Assets locked in Liquidity Pools, staking vaults, or multisig wallets cannot be automatically migrated.
- Permanent Loss Risk: If these assets are not manually withdrawn before the sequencer shuts down on July 1, they will likely become permanently inaccessible [Source: https://forum.polygon.technology/t/sunsetting-polygon-zkevm-mainnet-beta-in-2026/21020].
- Protocol Warnings: Major ecosystem players like QuickSwap have issued urgent alerts for users to exit positions immediately [Source: https://x.com/QuickswapDEX/status/2066515050932715648].
3. Viability of Migration Destinations
Polygon PoS is the primary recommended destination for users who wish to remain within the Polygon ecosystem, as it remains fully operational and unaffected by the zkEVM sunset [Source: https://polygon.technology/polygon-zkevm].
- Developer Support: Polygon Labs is offering "Transitional Grant Support" to help protocol teams cover the costs of moving infrastructure and liquidity to Polygon PoS or other CDK-based chains [Source: https://polygon.technology/polygon-zkevm].
- AggLayer Integration: The technology behind zkEVM is being pivoted toward the AggLayer, which aims to provide unified liquidity across multiple chains in the future [Source: https://polygon.technology/polygon-zkevm].
Conclusion
Users will find a safe home on Ethereum L1 (for recovery) or Polygon PoS (for continued use), provided they act before the July 1, 2026, shutdown. The most critical unresolved risk remains for DeFi users; while the infrastructure for migration is operational, it requires proactive manual intervention to avoid total loss of funds locked in smart contracts.
Next Steps:
- Would you like me to check your current Polygon zkEVM wallet balance and identify any active DeFi positions that need to be closed?
- I can monitor the
ui.agglayer.devclaim interface and alert you as soon as the automatic migration claims go live.