Telegram has officially replaced the TON Foundation as the central driving force behind the Telegram TON network, triggering a massive 36% surge in Toncoin's price. The strategic takeover, announced by CEO Pavel Durov, marks a definitive shift from community governance to corporate control for the blockchain ecosystem.
Staking and Fee Reductions
According to the announcement, Telegram is now staking 2.2 million TON - valued at approximately $2.88 million - making it the network's largest validator. To drive mass adoption, transaction fees have been slashed six times, dropping to near zero.
At roughly $0.0005 per transaction, the network can now seamlessly support in-app payments, gaming rewards, and bot transactions. This low-cost infrastructure is designed to scale across Telegram’s estimated 950 million monthly active users.
Market Reaction and Ecosystem Surges
The market reacted instantly to the corporate backing. Toncoin (TON) jumped 36% to $2.04, though it remains below its June 2024 all-time high of $8.25. The bullish momentum spilled over into the broader Telegram crypto ecosystem, with related tokens like Dogs gaining 90% and Notcoin adding 26%.
Analysts project that holding the $1.60 support level is critical for TON, with near-term resistance sitting at $2.10. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) recently signaled overbought conditions in the short term, reflecting the rapid influx of capital following Durov's post.
Capital Rotation into Presales
While TON experiences institutional-level volume, a portion of the market is rotating capital into emerging presale projects like Pepeto. The meme-inspired token has secured over $9.89 million in commitments ahead of a scheduled Binance listing.
Operating with a 420 trillion token supply and a presale price of $0.0000001868, the project features a cross-chain bridge connecting Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana. It also utilizes PepetoSwap for zero-cost trade routing and has completed a SolidProof audit to ensure contract safety.
The Shift Toward In-App Economies
Telegram’s aggressive takeover of The Open Network proves that the future of Web3 relies on distribution, not just decentralized governance. By slashing fees to $0.0005 and positioning itself as the largest validator, Telegram is transforming TON from a speculative asset into a functional currency.
This pivot from community-led development to corporate control provides the institutional stability required to run a global digital economy directly inside a messaging app. For the 950 million users on the platform, crypto is quietly becoming a native, frictionless feature rather than an external investment vehicle.
