Techniques are disclosed for a graphics processing unit (GPU) to process cubic Bezier curves, and render the cubic Bezier curves. In an example, the GPU receives a cubic Bezier curve. For example, a graphics pipeline of the GPU receives a plurality of corner points of a control polygon in the form of a patch primitive, the control polygon representing the cubic Bezier curve. The graphics pipeline tessellates the cubic Bezier curve into multiple quadratic Bezier curves, such that the multiple quadratic Bezier curves approximate the cubic Bezier curve. The number of quadratic Bezier curves generated in such a manner is adaptively based on a zoom level at which the cubic Bezier curve is to be displayed. For example, as and when the zoom level changes, new number of such quadratic Bezier curves are tessellated from the cubic Bezier curve. The quadratic Bezier curves are then rendered for display.