The Graph Diversifies Traffic Off Centralized Studio Layer

Migration to Decentralized Network

The Graph is moving its query traffic from Polygon and BNB Chain to its decentralized network of independent indexers. This change is aimed at creating a more decentralized ecosystem, where users can rely on the network for data access without relying on a centralized endpoint. The transition deadline is October 8, and developers must update their endpoints and configure billing to participate in the new system.

Benefits of Decentralization

Decentralized indexing can provide several benefits, including increased security, reduced latency, and improved scalability. By moving query traffic to the decentralized network, The Graph aims to create a more robust and resilient ecosystem. Additionally, the use of independent indexers can provide an economic incentive for developers to participate in the network.

Developers may not love mandatory migrations, but the alternative is leaving a central dependency embedded inside applications that otherwise claim to be decentralized. The Graph has spent years arguing that blockchain data access should itself be a network. For Polygon and BNB Chain developers, this argument just became less optional. By participating in the decentralized network, developers can ensure that their applications are truly decentralized and secure.

Next Steps

Developers whose subgraphs are already published to The Graph Network do not need to make major changes. However, projects still pointing production traffic toward Studio staging endpoints need to publish their subgraphs, configure billing and switch to network gateway endpoints. Once traffic moves, independent indexers serve those queries and earn fees in GRT. The Graph Foundation has been trying to make that distinction increasingly clear.