Introduction
Telegram — one of the few global messengers that from the very beginning was considered not only as a communication tool, but also as an infrastructural platform for digital freedom, privacy, and decentralization. The integration of blockchain technologies became a logical continuation of this philosophy.
Founding of Telegram and the ideology of decentralization
Telegram was founded in 2013 by Pavel Durov after his departure from VK. Key principles of the project:
protection of personal data,
resilience to censorship,
independence from governmental and corporate structures,
global scalability.
From the very beginning, it became clear that the traditional centralized server model had limitations. This pushed the Telegram team to explore blockchain as the foundation for future digital infrastructure.
Telegram Open Network (TON): an ambitious start
In 2017–2018, Telegram announced the Telegram Open Network (TON)—a large-scale blockchain project of the new generation.
Key goals of TON:
high throughput (millions of transactions per second),
instant and low-cost payments,
built-in smart contracts,
decentralized storage (TON Storage),
domain names (TON DNS),
anonymous services (TON Services).
For project funding, one of the largest ICOs in history was conducted—around $1.7 billion from private investors.
Conflict with regulators and Telegram's exit from TON
In 2019–2020, the U.S. SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) recognized the Gram token as an unregistered security. After legal proceedings, Telegram:
officially ceased participation in the development of TON,
returned part of the funds to investors,
distanced himself from direct control of the blockchain.
This step was a significant precedent for the entire crypto industry, demonstrating the conflict between innovation and traditional financial regulation.
The revival of TON as an independent blockchain
Despite Telegram's departure, the TON code was open-sourced, and the project continued development by the community. Thus, The Open Network was born.
Key features of the updated TON:
full decentralization,
lack of control by Telegram,
active developer community,
focus on the mass user.
Integration of TON and Telegram: Web3 in the messenger
Since 2022, Telegram has begun indirect but deep integration with TON, without violating regulatory restrictions.
Key elements of integration:
@wallet — built-in cryptocurrency wallet,
payments and transfers within chats,
Telegram Mini Apps and Web3 bots,
NFT gifts and digital names,
TON as the priority infrastructure for the Telegram ecosystem.
In fact, Telegram has become the largest Web3 interface in the world with an audience of over 800 million users.
Economy, NFTs, and digital assets
Telegram actively experiments with:
NFT usernames,
digital gifts,
tokenization of digital rights,
monetization of channels and bots via blockchain.
TON is used as the underlying settlement layer, providing scalability and low fees—key parameters for mass adoption.
Strategic importance of Telegram for the blockchain industry
Telegram today is:
a bridge between Web2 and Web3,
platform for mass onboarding of users into the crypto economy,
infrastructure for dApps, DAOs, and digital services,
an example of soft decentralization without direct ownership of the blockchain.
Conclusion
The history of Telegram and blockchain is a journey from an ambitious centralized project to a mature decentralized ecosystem. Abandoning direct control over TON did not weaken Telegram's influence, but rather enabled the creation of one of the most resilient and scalable Web3 platforms in the world.
Telegram and TON today are not just a messenger and a blockchain, but a foundation for the future digital economy, where communications, finance, and digital identity are unified within a single ecosystem.
#ton #tonecoin #telegram #blockchain
