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The same steps on any exchange: sign up, verify, buy, withdraw on the right network. A test transfer is mandatory.

Where to buy

Stablecoins are bought on crypto exchanges: companies with a site and an app that sell tokens for ordinary money. Choose an exchange that officially operates in your country and supports your payment method. The process is the same everywhere; only the buttons differ. Below is the generic flow; substitute your exchange.

Step 1. Sign-up and verification

Register with email or phone, then verify identity: a document photo and a selfie. Without it exchanges normally do not allow token withdrawals. It takes minutes to a day. Enable two-factor authentication with an authenticator app, not SMS.

Step 2. Buying

Two routes. Card purchase under "Buy crypto": fast, 1–4% fee. P2P, where the exchange matches you with a private seller and escrows their tokens until you pay: cheaper, but read the seller's terms and pay exactly as instructed. On P2P pick sellers with hundreds of completed trades and a rating above 98%.

What to buy: USDC if listed, otherwise USDT. Polymarket accepts both; USDT converts automatically on deposit. How much: only what you can afford to lose entirely; there is a separate article on risk.

Step 3. Withdraw on Polygon

Under "Withdraw" choose the token (USDC or USDT), paste the address and select the Polygon network. Some exchanges label it "Polygon POS", "MATIC" or "Polygon (MATIC)"; it is the same network. Check the first and last characters of the address. Exchange withdrawal fees are usually $0.1–$1.

Where to: either your own wallet address or directly the Polymarket deposit address shown in the next article. For the first time use your own wallet: you will see that everything works and learn to transfer onward.

Step 4. Test transfer

The first withdrawal is always small: $5–10. Wait until it shows in the wallet (minutes on Polygon), then send the main amount. Five extra minutes against the risk of losing the whole deposit to a wrong network or address.

Common mistakes

Wrong network. Ethereum, Tron or Arbitrum instead of Polygon. The most expensive mistake.
Address from somewhere else. Take addresses only from your own wallet or the Polymarket deposit page, never from a chat.
No POL in the wallet. Funds arrived but cannot be sent onward. Withdraw one or two dollars of POL from the exchange.
"Stuck" transfer. Check the transaction hash on polygonscan.com: if the status is Success, the funds are on the address and the wallet simply does not show the token; add it by name.