@Polygon #Polygon $POL

What Really Happens When You Bridge Tokens to Polygon PoS

If you’ve ever sent your tokens from Ethereum to Polygon PoS, you might’ve wondered: where do my tokens actually go? It feels like they magically jump across blockchains — but what’s really happening is a lot smarter than that.

When you bridge tokens from Ethereum to Polygon, the total supply of your tokens doesn’t change. Instead, the system uses a clever lock-and-mint process to keep everything in balance.

Here’s the simple version:

When you deposit tokens into the bridge, those tokens don’t physically move anywhere. They’re locked up safely in a smart contract on the Ethereum network. At the same time, an equal number of new, pegged tokens are minted on the Polygon PoS chain — always at a 1:1 ratio.

For example, if you bridge 100 USDC from Ethereum, those 100 USDC are locked on Ethereum, and 100 brand-new “mirrored” USDC appear on Polygon. This ensures the total supply stays perfectly balanced across both networks.

When you decide to withdraw your tokens back to Ethereum, the process simply reverses. The 100 USDC you had on Polygon are burned (permanently destroyed), and the 100 USDC that were locked on Ethereum are unlocked — landing right back in your Ethereum wallet.

The best part? This happens seamlessly in the background, keeping your tokens secure while letting you enjoy Polygon’s fast, low-cost transactions.

So, the next time you bridge tokens, remember — nothing is actually “moving” across chains. The system is just locking, minting, and burning in perfect sync to keep your assets safe and your balances consistent.

It’s not just token movement — it’s blockchain precision in action.