A checkpoint confirms the burn, not the withdrawal

A Polygon PoS withdrawal is checkpointed when validators have committed the Polygon block containing its burn transaction to Ethereum. That confirms the block is covered by a checkpoint; it does not mean the assets have arrived on Ethereum, because a separate exit transaction is still required.

What does a checkpoint confirm?

A withdrawal starts with a burn on Polygon: the bridged tokens leave circulation there. Validators later submit a checkpoint covering Polygon blocks to Ethereum, where the bridge can verify the burn’s inclusion and accept an exit proof. This differs from a liquidity-based bridge, which can deliver assets from available inventory without waiting for this same burn-and-checkpoint sequence; the trade-off is that the PoS route depends on checkpointing and a final Ethereum transaction.

How can you tell if your withdrawal is checkpointed?

Start with the burn transaction hash, not a wallet’s balance display. Check that the transaction succeeded on Polygon and that its receipt shows the expected token burn or withdrawal event. Then check the bridge’s withdrawal tracker for a checkpointed status, or confirm that an exit proof can be generated for the burn. A transaction being old, confirmed on Polygon, or visible in the tracker is not by itself proof that Ethereum has accepted the exit. For the recovery choices after a transfer stalls, this guide to choosing a route after a stalled Polygon Bridge transfer covers the broader decision.

• Successful Polygon burn transaction: the withdrawal began.
• Checkpoint covering the burn’s block: the proof can be verified on Ethereum.
• Exit transaction submitted on Ethereum: the withdrawal is being claimed.
• Exit confirmed and tokens received: the withdrawal is complete.

What should you do once it is checkpointed?

Complete the exit step on Ethereum and check its transaction status separately. It consumes Ethereum gas, and the destination balance may not update until that transaction succeeds. If the tracker says checkpointed but the exit is still pending, the key question is whether the exit transaction has been submitted; if it has not, the withdrawal has not finished. Once the Polygon burn is made, it cannot simply be cancelled to restore the tokens on Polygon.

The useful signals are the burn receipt, checkpoint coverage, proof availability, and the Ethereum exit receipt. Together they show exactly where the withdrawal stands, without confusing a confirmed checkpoint with funds already delivered.