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DOT to USDT Converter
1 DOT = 0.98999 USDT · updated 06:19 UTC
Volume Bubbles Chart (1h)
Each 1-hour candle's volume is signed by its direction (up candles count as net buying, down candles as net selling) and drawn as a bubble at the closing price, green for buying and red for selling. Bubble size and colour intensity show how strong that flow is compared with the last 300 candles: the strongest 30% get full bubbles with their USD value, the rest stay as small dots. Unusually large bubbles flag aggressive buying or selling worth a closer look, often near breakouts, reversals or key levels.Seasonal Chart
Plots one line per calendar year showing the % change since the start of that year, with the current year highlighted against up to four previous years. Lining the years up on the same calendar shows whether the price tends to rise or fall in the same months, helping you spot recurring seasonal patterns. Treat it as context rather than a forecast: past seasonality does not guarantee future moves.Polkadot Markets
Polkadot Historical Data
About Polkadot (DOT)
Polkadot (DOT) is a network built to let many specialized blockchains run side by side, share security and pass messages to each other. Gavin Wood designed it and described it in a 2016 white paper. He was an Ethereum co-founder who wrote Ethereum's technical "Yellow Paper" and proposed the Solidity language. The Web3 Foundation supports the project, Parity Technologies built much of its early software, and the main network launched in 2020. The core idea is that no single blockchain can be best at everything, so specialized chains should cooperate.
Relay chain, rollups and coretime
At the center of Polkadot sits the relay chain, which provides shared security and coordinates the network. Connected chains, historically called parachains and now often described as rollups, handle their own tasks such as finance, identity or gaming. They rely on the relay chain's validators for security. Since 2024, chains obtain blockspace through a flexible system called coretime, which replaced the earlier slot auctions. Polkadot also has a sister network, Kusama, where new features are often tried first. Messages between chains use a shared format called XCM, short for cross-consensus messaging.
Staking after Referendum 1910
Polkadot uses nominated proof-of-stake. Validators run the network, and DOT holders called nominators back the validators they trust. In July 2026, Referendum 1910 changed the rules. Validators must now hold a minimum stake of their own and bear the risk of slashing. Nominators are no longer slashed. The nominator unbonding period also fell from 28 days to about two days. Holders who do not want to run infrastructure can join nomination pools.
The 2.1 billion DOT cap
Polkadot launched without a hard cap and issued about 120 million new DOT a year. On September 14, 2025, holders approved Referendum 1710, which set a cap of 2.1 billion DOT. On March 14, 2026, yearly issuance was cut to about 55 million DOT. Every two years after that, it falls by 13.14% of the amount still to be minted. In 2020 the network also redenominated DOT, so one old DOT became 100 new DOT. Older price figures can look very different for that reason.
On-chain governance
DOT is used for governance through Polkadot's on-chain voting system, often called OpenGov. Holders vote on referenda that change network rules, set issuance and spend the treasury. Both of the major changes above, the supply cap and the new staking rules, were decided this way. Anyone can submit a proposal, and different kinds of decisions follow separate tracks with their own approval thresholds and waiting times. DOT also pays transaction fees and buys coretime for connected chains.
What could hold DOT back
Polkadot's architecture is powerful but complex, and adoption of its connected chains has been slower than many supporters expected. Interoperability projects face strong competition. DOT's price has fallen sharply from earlier highs, and governance votes can change key parameters, including issuance and staking rules. Its multi-chain design also asks users and developers to learn more concepts than a single chain does.
Last reviewed: Oct 8, 2026
Polkadot (DOT) FAQ
What is Polkadot (DOT)?
Polkadot is a blockchain network that connects multiple specialized chains, letting them share security and exchange data. Its native token, DOT, is used for staking, governance, fees and buying blockspace. Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood designed Polkadot, and its main network launched in 2020. The goal is a web of blockchains that work together.
How does Polkadot work?
Polkadot has a central relay chain that secures and coordinates connected blockchains, historically called parachains. Validators secure the relay chain, and DOT holders back them as nominators under nominated proof-of-stake. Connected chains buy blockspace through coretime and can send messages to each other, so assets and data move across the network.
Who founded Polkadot?
Polkadot was founded by Gavin Wood, an Ethereum co-founder who wrote Ethereum's Yellow Paper and proposed the Solidity language. He published the Polkadot white paper in 2016, and the Web3 Foundation was set up to support the project. Parity Technologies, which Wood co-founded, built much of the core software. DOT holders now steer the network on-chain.
What is the price of Polkadot today?
Polkadot is trading at about $0.9883 per DOT on FMchart's composite price. In the last 24 hours, approximately $32.68M of DOT traded across the exchanges in FMchart's composite. The composite blends several big exchanges into a single US-dollar value, so one platform may show a slightly different number.
What is Polkadot's market cap?
Polkadot's market capitalization is about $1.69B, which puts DOT at rank 57 by market value. About 1,709,237,717 DOT are in circulation. New DOT is still issued to stakers, but at a much lower rate since March 2026, and total supply can never exceed the 2.1 billion cap.
What is the all-time high of DOT?
Polkadot's all-time high is $54.98, reached on Nov 4, 2021. DOT has seen very large swings across market cycles. A record high is a reference point, not a forecast. The Price Statistics panel also shows the all-time low and the distance from each extreme.
How has Polkadot performed month to month?
In FMchart's composite price history (since June 2021), DOT's best month is November 2024 (+126.4%) and its worst is April 2024 (-33.4%). Polkadot ended the year higher in 1 of 4 full calendar years. The Quarterly Closing Price (USD) table shows where each quarter finished, and Monthly Returns (USD) lists every month. These are past results only.
What is Polkadot's 2.1 billion DOT cap?
It is a hard limit on DOT supply approved by holders in Referendum 1710 on September 14, 2025. Before that, Polkadot had no cap. To approach the limit gradually, yearly issuance was cut from about 120 million to about 55 million DOT on March 14, 2026, and it will fall again every two years.
Is Polkadot a good investment?
FMchart does not provide investment advice. Polkadot has a distinctive multi-chain design and active on-chain governance, but DOT's price has fallen sharply from past peaks and adoption has been uneven. The main risks are competition among interoperability networks, governance changes to key parameters and general crypto volatility.
What affects the price of DOT?
Demand for Polkadot blockspace is a key driver of DOT's price. Staking participation, governance decisions on issuance and treasury spending, and the number of projects building on the network matter too. Broader crypto trends, especially Bitcoin's direction, usually have a large influence, as do exchange listings, regulation and major upgrades.