TON Foundation Expands Partnership with Telegram, Making TON the Exclusive Blockchain for Telegram's Mini App Ecosystem

The Open Network Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting the TON ecosystem, has announced an exciting expansion of its partnership with Telegram. As part of the new agreement, TON will become the exclusive blockchain infrastructure powering Telegram’s rapidly growing Mini Apps ecosystem, supporting the messaging platform's massive global user base of over 950 million monthly active users.

Building on Success

This expanded partnership marks the next stage of a collaboration that began in 2023, which has already driven unprecedented growth and adoption for the TON ecosystem. Telegram’s updates to its Mini Apps platform, the integration of Toncoin for payments, and the use of the TON blockchain in Telegram’s advertising platform have all contributed significantly to the growth of TON’s network.

The new exclusivity agreement further strengthens the technological ties between Telegram and TON, with both platforms positioning themselves for even greater success in the years to come.

TON Connect: Simplifying the Web3 Experience

A cornerstone of this expanded collaboration is the adoption of TON’s wallet connect protocol, TON Connect, as the exclusive method for linking Telegram Mini Apps to blockchain wallets. This protocol aims to provide a streamlined and seamless user experience for those engaging with Web3 applications on Telegram.

By implementing TON Connect, all Telegram Mini Apps that utilize blockchain functionality—including custodial and non-custodial wallets, user authorization, on-chain signatures, and blockchain asset transactions—will need to rely exclusively on TON Connect as their wallet connection protocol. Developers have a one-month window to make this transition, ensuring a consistent and unified experience for users across the platform.

Toncoin Becomes the Exclusive Cryptocurrency for Telegram

As part of this deepened partnership, Telegram will continue to use Toncoin as the sole cryptocurrency for non-fiat payments made within the platform. This includes payments for services such as Telegram Stars, Telegram Premium, Telegram Ads, and Telegram Gateway, an alternative to traditional SMS verification.

Moreover, Toncoin will be the exclusive currency for rewarding Telegram Mini App developers and channel owners for their earned Telegram Stars and advertisement revenue. This makes Toncoin an integral part of the Telegram ecosystem, providing a unified cryptocurrency for a range of platform services and financial transactions.

Tokenization of Digital Assets on the TON Blockchain

In an exciting new development, Telegram is also planning to tokenize various digital assets on the TON Blockchain. This includes popular items such as emojis, stickers, and even limited edition gifts, which will be tokenized as NFTs. This move will further integrate blockchain technology into the Telegram ecosystem, allowing users to buy, sell, and trade these digital assets securely and transparently.

A Path Toward Explosive Growth in 2025

According to Manuel Stotz, President of The Open Network Foundation, this strengthened partnership with Telegram sets the stage for significant expansion in 2025. “After laying the foundational groundwork over the last few years, TON is now ready for explosive growth,” he said. “Telegram is one of the most downloaded apps in the world and a vital platform for free speech, making it the perfect distribution vector for blockchain technology. With over 950 million active users, Telegram is an ideal partner for our global expansion. We are committed to empowering over 500 million users by the end of the decade.”

Supporting Developers and the TON Ecosystem

To ensure a smooth transition to the new system, the TON Foundation is offering a range of incentives for developers to migrate their Mini Apps to the new blockchain infrastructure. Developers who complete the migration within Telegram’s deadline will receive promotional support from the TON Foundation, including up to $50,000 in Ad Credit grants to help accelerate their growth within the TON ecosystem.

Additionally, the TON Foundation will provide exclusive technical support, community onboarding, and marketing opportunities to developers to ensure a successful migration and continued success within Telegram's platform.

Join the Future of Telegram

As the partnership between Telegram and TON deepens, developers are encouraged to begin migrating their Mini Apps to ensure seamless integration with the TON blockchain. This migration represents a unique opportunity to tap into Telegram's vast user base and be part of a blockchain-powered future.

For more information, developers can visit the TON Foundation’s website to access detailed guidelines, FAQs, and further resources to support the migration process.

With Telegram’s growing dominance and TON’s expanding ecosystem, the stage is set for a new era of blockchain-based mini apps, digital asset tokenization, and seamless Web3 integration for millions of users around the globe.

For further questions, developers can join the discussion in the following Telegram channels:

• TON Dev Chat (English)

• TON Dev Chat (Russian)

• TON Dev Chat (Chinese)