In the world of Web3, we are used to treating tokens as transaction mediums, investment targets, or unlockers for certain functions. However, the emergence of $POL may be reshaping our definition of token identity. Polygon does not view POL merely as an 'ecosystem incentive symbol'; it is more like building a 'protocol layer identity system.'
What does it mean? Simply put, whether you are an 'official member' of the Polygon network in the future will largely depend not on what accounts you have registered but on whether you hold and stake POL.
Take a real example: If a developer team wants to launch a project on Polygon, connect to Agglayer, and obtain incentives or governance voting rights, they need more than just technical qualifications; they also need to demonstrate their 'network responsibility' by holding or staking POL. This is very similar to registering a company and obtaining a business license in real life.
And this "identity passport" design is not limited to developers. Ordinary users who hold POL can not only gain incentive rewards but also participate in ecological project voting, new links into consensus, and even project incubation fund allocation. This multi-dimensional participation method is actually turning "users" into "participants."
It's like the login account on the traditional internet, but this time you are logging into the entire network governance and resource allocation system, and your "account" is your POL address.
I have noticed that more and more ecological projects are beginning to support using POL holdings to determine user identity levels. Airdrop settings, permission opening, event whitelists, and even speaking weight in some governance forums are all tied to POL. This identity mechanism makes "tokens" not just an economic tool for the first time but the basic ticket for participating in protocols.
Furthermore, the role of POL's identity passport may become more complex as the Polygon multi-chain ecosystem unfolds. For example, in the future, certain sub-chains may only allow specific levels of token holders to enter governance; some protocols may open exclusive features for high stakers; and even NFT projects may issue "governance medals" based on POL participation. This is the Web3 mapping of multi-chain identity in the real financial system's "credit rating."
In other words, POL is evolving from a "functional token" into a "structural token." Holding it allows you not only to take action but also to be seen, recognized, and empowered. This role is not simply given by speculation but is set by the underlying network structure.
So don't underestimate POL anymore. You might think you are holding a "chain coin," but in reality, you are already grasping the "digital identity card" of the entire Polygon protocol system.#Polygo @Polygon
