Thomas Daniels
By declaring that the TON blockchain will only support Telegram’s mini-app ecosystem, the Open Network Foundation (TON Foundation) has strengthened its alliance with Telegram. Unveiled on January 21, this milestone highlights TON’s increasing importance as a blockchain solution for Telegram’s large user base.
Switch by February 2025 to TON
By February 21, 2025, Telegram’s mini-apps that are now running on other blockchains have to switch to TON. The TON Foundation has pledged to facilitate this transition by providing marketing materials, user-friendly onboarding, and technical support. To further encourage adoption, projects that make the move may also be eligible for awards of up to $50,000 in ad credits.
Gamified Experiences for an Improved Ecosystem
Building on their popularity in 2024, the integration will elevate well-known Toncoin-powered games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat. The potential of TON to provide captivating blockchain experiences is demonstrated by these tap-to-earn games.
TON Connect: The Exclusive Mini-App Wallet
With the exception of situations needing cross-chain connections, TON Connect will be the default wallet for mini-apps in order to simplify the ecosystem. The goal of this action is to improve user experience and strengthen TON’s place in the Telegram ecosystem, which has 950 million active users each month.
An Unprecedented Partnership
Resilience has been a defining characteristic of TON’s path. The project, which was first envisioned as Telegram Open Network in 2017, gathered $1.7 billion to create a decentralized network. However, Telegram abandoned the project in 2020 due to regulatory issues. A devoted development community brought TON back to life in 2021, and by 2023, Telegram had resumed its efforts to promote the network, allowing Toncoin payments on its platform.
The significance of this collaboration was underlined by TON Foundation President Manuel Stotz, who said:
“After laying foundational groundwork over the last years, TON is now ready for explosive growth in 2025. The re-energized, deepened, and exclusive partnership with Telegram is an important step in our roadmap.”
Increasing the Use of Blockchain
In the future, the TON blockchain will facilitate cutting-edge uses, such as asset tokenization for stickers and emojis. To further increase its blockchain usefulness, Telegram also intends to investigate NFT-based features and roll out tokenized gifts.
A significant turning point for TON is the exclusive integration with Telegram, which opens the door for broad blockchain use.
