Polkadot Moves Balances to Asset Hub
The network completed a migration of user balances, staking and governance activity to Asset Hub on Nov. 4, 2025.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Investing
Polkadot moved user balances, staking and governance activity to Asset Hub, a migration completed on Nov. 4, 2025. A related change shortened nominator unbonding from 28 days to about two days.
Why it matters
The changes alter how DOT holders stake and unbond tokens and how the network allocates capacity to projects. The relay chain keeps responsibility for security and interoperability while activity shifts to Asset Hub.
Referendum #1910 shortened nominators' unbonding period from 28 days to two eras, while requests already underway kept the former 28-day schedule. Figures for participation rates after the change were not provided in the source.
The players
Polkadot
Polkadot is a multichain blockchain network that connects specialized parachains through a central relay chain.
The details
Polkadot replaced its parachain auction system with Agile Coretime on Sept. 19, 2024, allowing projects to buy bulk coretime in DOT for 28 days. A governance change set a 2.1 billion DOT supply cap, and the first issuance cut took effect on March 14, 2026.
Timeline
Sept. 19, 2024: Agile Coretime replaced the parachain auction system.
Nov. 4, 2025: Asset Hub migration was completed.
March 14, 2026: The first issuance cut took effect.
Market Landscape
Polkadot's shift from parachain auctions to Agile Coretime in September 2024 set the stage for the later Asset Hub migration. The unbonding change moves the network toward shorter capital lockups for stakers.
Nominators who stake DOT now face an unbonding period of about two days instead of 28 days, which changes how quickly they can access staked tokens. Requests that were already underway kept the earlier 28-day schedule.
The takeaway
Investors holding DOT should review how the shorter unbonding period affects their liquidity needs and staking plans. Changes to protocol parameters can shift the risk and return profile of staked positions.
Further reading
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