Polygon's recent moves in the payments space caught many off guard—in the best way possible.

The protocol just acquired Coinme and Sequence, two key players that will form the backbone of its Open Money Stack initiative. What does this mean in practical terms? Regulated payment infrastructure across 48 U.S. states, which is no small feat in a landscape typically fragmented by compliance hurdles.

Here's what makes this particularly strategic: the U.S. already accounts for roughly 70% of global Web3 transaction volume. That's an enormous market concentration point. By securing both compliance expertise (through Coinme) and developer infrastructure (through Sequence), Polygon is positioning itself to capture a significant chunk of the emerging payments economy.

The timing is intriguing too. As traditional finance increasingly eyes crypto rails, having regulated payment rails live across major U.S. markets gives Polygon a genuine competitive edge. Not just technically—but legally and operationally.