Get POL for Polygon Fees From Ethereum
Polygon PoS fees are paid in POL, so ETH alone will not cover your first transaction. Here are the ways to move POL over from Ethereum and what each costs.
The Token Wire Desk3 min read
To pay fees on Polygon PoS, your wallet needs POL on Polygon; ETH on Ethereum cannot cover them. You can bridge POL from Ethereum, or move ETH over and swap some for POL after you have a way to pay the first Polygon fee. That first fee is the snag: bridged ETH is useful, but it cannot pay for its own swap.
Why can’t I use ETH to pay Polygon fees?
Polygon PoS uses POL as its gas token—the asset charged for transactions. This is separate from ETH, even if the wallet address is the same on both networks. Bridged ETH arrives as a token on Polygon, while the network still asks for POL when you send it, swap it or use an app.
Older guides may call the fee token MATIC. Polygon PoS balances of MATIC were converted to POL, but the ticker shown in a wallet can depend on its network settings. Check that you are on Polygon PoS and look for POL before sending funds.
How can I bridge POL from Ethereum?
If you already hold POL on Ethereum, use the Polygon Portal bridge to send it to Polygon PoS. The transfer requires an Ethereum transaction, so keep ETH on Ethereum to pay that network’s fee. For wallet setup and the bridge steps, see this guide to setting up a wallet for Polygon Bridge. Once POL arrives, it can pay for transactions on Polygon.
Check the selected destination and token before signing. Bridging ETH alone does not provide the POL needed for a later swap on Polygon. If you have ETH but no POL on Ethereum, one route is to swap some ETH for POL on Ethereum, then bridge the POL. That adds a swap and its fee, but leaves you with the token Polygon needs.
What if I only have ETH?
There are three practical routes, depending on what you already hold and where:
- POL on Ethereum: Bridge a small amount to Polygon. Keep ETH aside for the Ethereum transaction fee.
- ETH on Ethereum: Swap part of it for POL on Ethereum, then bridge the POL. Compare the swap and bridge costs before confirming.
- Funds on an exchange: If it supports withdrawals to Polygon PoS, withdraw POL directly to your wallet. Check the network carefully; a withdrawal on Ethereum will not arrive ready to pay Polygon fees.
For most people who already hold POL on Ethereum, bridging a small amount is the direct route. If you only hold ETH, swapping before bridging avoids the first-transaction problem. Leave enough POL for the next action you plan to take, since sending or swapping tokens also uses gas.
Before signing, verify the destination network and the amount that will arrive. Watch the wallet’s POL balance after the transfer, and check the bridge status if it has not appeared yet.