Optimism vs 
POL (ex-MATIC)
Two Ethereum scaling bets that both evolved into ecosystems. Optimism turned its rollup into the OP Stack, the shared codebase behind a growing family of chains including Coinbase's Base. Polygon started as a sidechain with its own validators and has been rebuilding around zero-knowledge proofs, with POL securing a network of chains. Both now sell the same thing: not one chain, but a kit for launching them.
12 months, both starting at 100 (AUD)
OP → 14 · POL → 36| Measure | OP | POL |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | A$0.4B | A$1.5B |
| Rank | #154 | #73 |
| Price | A$0.1754 | A$0.1429 |
| 90-day change (AUD) | +16.7% | +34.7% |
| 12-month change (AUD) | −83.4% | −58.3% |
| From all-time high | −97.6% | −92.6% |
| Supply model | Capped: 4.29B max | No fixed maximum |
| AU exchanges we verify it on | 3 | 2 |
About Optimism
Optimism is a major Ethereum layer-2 and the home of the "Superchain" standard that Base and other networks build on. OP governs its collective and funds public goods.
About POL (ex-MATIC)
POL is the staking and gas token of the Polygon ecosystem, one of the earliest and largest scaling networks for Ethereum, widely used by mainstream brands for low-cost transactions.
FAQ
Which is bigger, Optimism or POL (ex-MATIC)?
By market value today: POL (ex-MATIC) (A$1.5B vs A$0.4B). Size measures money invested, not quality — but it does measure liquidity, which affects how easily you can buy and sell.
Which performed better this year?
Over the past 12 months in AUD terms: OP −83.4%, POL −58.3% — the chart above shows the whole path, which matters more than the endpoints. Past performance is no indicator of future results, in either direction.
Can I buy both in Australia?
Yes — both are listed on AUSTRAC-registered exchanges we verify. OP appears on 3 of our reviewed platforms and POL on 2. Compare costs first on the fee calculator, and remember every crypto-to-crypto swap between them is a CGT event.
Should I hold OP or POL?
That's a personal decision we don't make for you — this page exists to make the structural differences clear so the choice is yours. What we'd say to anyone: understand what job each coin is designed for, size positions like the risk is real, and check the honest failure statistics before going further down the market-cap list.
Data from our market records (powered by CoinGecko), refreshed with the daily rebuild. General information only, not financial advice — we compare structure and history, we don't pick winners.