Polygon PoS withdrawals need a checkpoint and an Ethereum claim

A Polygon PoS withdrawal burns the bridged tokens on Polygon, then requires a checkpoint and a separate claim transaction on Ethereum. Polygon’s support guide says the burn cannot be cancelled or reversed, but the pending withdrawal can be completed later; the Ethereum claim releases the corresponding assets from the bridge.

What does a checkpoint do?

A checkpoint lets Ethereum verify that the Polygon block containing the burn is part of the chain. Polygon’s proof-generation API documentation says the withdrawal proof depends on that checkpoint: until it is recorded on Ethereum, the bridge cannot produce the proof needed for the claim.

That wait is a separate stage from the claim itself. For more on how to choose a route when a transfer stalls, see this Polygon Bridge guide to routes after a stalled transfer. The key distinction is whether the burn has been checkpointed or the Ethereum claim is still outstanding.

How do I claim a Polygon PoS withdrawal?

Track the withdrawal using the Polygon burn transaction hash. Once its block is checkpointed, the bridge can generate an exit proof; submitting the claim on Ethereum verifies that proof and releases the asset. Polygon’s documentation describes the flow as burn, wait for checkpoint inclusion, then submit the exit payload on Ethereum.

• Keep the burn transaction hash so you can identify the withdrawal.
• Check that the transaction is checkpointed before trying to claim.
• Switch to Ethereum and submit the pending claim through the bridge interface.
• Have ETH available for the Ethereum transaction fee.

The burn happens on Polygon, where transactions use POL for gas; the final claim is an Ethereum transaction and uses ETH for gas. The two steps therefore involve different networks, fees and confirmations.

What if the withdrawal is still pending?

First check whether the burn is included in a checkpoint. If it is not, the proof is not ready; if it is, look for a pending claim and submit it on Ethereum. Polygon support says there is no time limit to complete a pending withdrawal, and that the burn cannot be reversed to return tokens to the Polygon wallet.

Do not start another withdrawal just because the first one has not appeared on Ethereum: the original burn hash identifies the transfer to claim. The practical takeaway is to treat checkpointing and claiming as two distinct steps, and check which one remains before acting.