Telegram has taken a pivotal step in the TON ecosystem, becoming the network’s largest validator and cementing TON as the exclusive blockchain infrastructure for its Mini App ecosystem. Following an announcement by company founder Pavel Durov, transaction fees on the TON network have been slashed by up to sixfold, bringing average costs down to around $0.0005. Over the next two to three weeks, new developer tools and performance upgrades are also expected to roll out on the platform.
The evolution and current state of TON
TON was originally launched by the Telegram team in 2018. However, after regulatory pressure from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, control of the project was transferred in 2020 to the volunteer-based TON Foundation. With this recent move, governance has effectively returned to the Telegram team, realigning the project with its original vision. Telegram, renowned for its one billion monthly active users, continues to play a crucial part in mainstreaming crypto and blockchain technologies.
Reports indicate that following these changes, Toncoin experienced a sharp price rally, gaining as much as 28 percent in a single day. The total market capitalization of TON-themed memecoins has climbed to $156 million. Industry experts suggest that, while medium and long-term prospects for TON appear strong, reaching ambitious price levels such as $100 or $1000 in the near term remains unrealistic. Analytics firms like CryptoRank and Cryptopolitan estimate TON’s price could surpass $10 by 2029.
Telegram and AI integration
In the past six months, Telegram and the TON team have delivered significant updates focused on AI application development. Notably, transaction confirmation times on the mainnet have dropped below one second, greatly easing operations for developers integrating payment or blockchain functionalities with AI systems.
Telegram offers developers a plethora of features—ranging from bots to mini apps and payment modules. Users gain access to next-generation AI-powered services directly within Telegram, without the need to download extra apps or create new accounts.
The platform has also integrated the “Topics” feature into private chats, enabling users to organize their bot interactions into themed threads. This makes it particularly beneficial for those managing multiple workflows through a single bot.
Web3 ambitions and TON’s growing role on Telegram
Pavel Durov’s strategic roadmap now officially positions TON as the only blockchain for Telegram users, aspiring to transform the app into a “Web3 Super App.” The “Catch 2.0” upgrade delivered in April 2026 brought a significant boost in block production speeds, making near-instant payments possible.
Telegram’s “Make TON Great Again” initiative—a seven-step plan—has further optimized micropayments within mini apps. The Telegram wallet now boasts a redesigned interface, support for multiple chains, and easier on-ramps and off-ramps for fiat currency.
By integrating gaming, trading, and decentralized AI via the Telegram platform, users now experience mainstream access to such services. Meanwhile, usernames, virtual numbers, and exclusive NFT gifts are stored on the TON network as digital assets.
This official integration enables Telegram users to conduct crypto-native transactions directly within the app, with TON tokens becoming mandatory for all on-platform transactions.
However, this shift to centralized control under one company raises some concerns regarding decentralization and community participation. The fact that the ecosystem’s largest validator is no longer the broader community, but a private entity, has sparked debate within the TON network.
Making TON the official blockchain significantly increases token demand within the Telegram ecosystem, though this heightened centralization calls into question how well it aligns with long-term blockchain principles.
