Polygon co-founder says loyalty to Ethereum is wavering amid neglect

Criticism has emerged that the Ethereum Foundation and its community are neglecting key builders in the ecosystem. In a post on X, Polygon (POL) co-founder Sandeep Nailwal said his loyalty to Ethereum is wavering. He stated that he has never received direct support from the foundation or the community, and has instead faced obstruction. Nailwal argued that if Polygon had launched as a Layer 1, its valuation would be two to five times higher. He added that the Ethereum community does not recognize Polygon as a Layer 2, and the market does not consider it part of the Ethereum ecosystem. Nailwal pointed out that while the success of projects like Polymarket is credited to Ethereum, Polygon's own achievements are treated as entirely separate. Echoing these sentiments, Andre Cronje, co-founder of Sonic Labs (formerly Fantom), said he does not know who the Ethereum Foundation is supporting. Cronje explained that he burned over 700 ETH on Ethereum deployment and infrastructure but never received any support or feedback from the foundation. He expressed confusion, noting that many teams contributing to the newer Sonic ecosystem now receive various forms of assistance, including business development, funding, audits, and marketing.