Telegram founder Pavel Durov has announced that the messaging platform will take over from the TON Foundation as the primary driving force behind The Open Network (TON) and will become its largest validator – a move that signals a significant deepening of Telegram’s role in the Blockchain ecosystem.
Durov shared the announcement via a post on Telegram, stating that TON transaction fees had fallen sixfold to near zero, and that the network’s next phase would centre on achieving “tech superiority.” The planned changes include a revamped website, new developer tools, and performance upgrades, with Durov describing the overall effort as a plan to “Make TON Great Again.”
The upgrades are expected to roll out within two to three weeks, according to Durov’s post.
The announcement represents a notable shift in how TON will be governed and operated. Rather than functioning primarily as a distribution and payment layer for Telegram’s product ecosystem, the messaging platform would now step into a direct infrastructure role – becoming the network’s leading validator. This effectively tightens the relationship between one of the world’s largest messaging apps and the Blockchain it helped popularise.
Key structural details, however, remain unclear. It is not yet known what role the TON Foundation will retain after the transition, how Telegram’s validator position will be technically structured, or whether the company intends to publicly disclose figures such as its validator stake or share of network activity.
Markets respond sharply
Crypto markets reacted positively to the news. Toncoin (TON), the native token of The Open Network, surged 33.8% within 24 hours of Durov’s post, reaching $1.86, according to CoinGecko data. The price jump reflects growing investor confidence in Telegram’s expanding commitment to the network.
A relationship years in the making
The latest move builds on a series of integrations that Telegram has steadily expanded since 2024. Durov previously announced that Telegram’s ad revenue-sharing system and channel owner payments would be conducted using TON and Toncoin, with channel owners receiving 50% of ad revenue generated within their channels.
In January 2025, the TON Foundation confirmed an expanded partnership with Telegram, designating TON Connect as the exclusive wallet-connect protocol for Telegram Mini Apps. Existing Mini Apps built on other Blockchain networks were also required to migrate to TON by February 2025, reinforcing Telegram’s push toward TON as its default Web3 infrastructure.
With Telegram now poised to become TON’s largest validator, the platform’s role in shaping the network’s future – from governance and security to technical development – is set to grow considerably. Whether this consolidation strengthens TON’s long-term ecosystem or raises questions about decentralisation remains a topic the community will be watching closely.
