POL (ex-MATIC): Ithaca hardfork goes live on Polygon mainnet - 29 Jul 2026

Polygon says the Ithaca hardfork goes live on Polygon mainnet at block 50,185,000, at approximately 2 PM UTC, adding automatic failover, transaction safeguards, and improved node-operator visibility as another payments upgrade.Automatic failover and transaction safeguards are network-level changes aimed at keeping payments and transaction processing more reliable during operational issues. If the upgrade works as intended, it can improve confidence in Polygon's utility by reducing disruption risk and making transaction handling more predictable.Improved node-operator visibility can also help operators detect and respond to problems faster, which supports continuity at the infrastructure level. The practical effect still depends on how widely these improvements translate into day-to-day usage rather than availability alone.Another payments upgrade is coming to Polygon Chain