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The Open Network (TON) Foundation has secured an exclusive partnership with Telegram Messenger to provide blockchain infrastructure for the messaging platform's Mini App ecosystem, serving its user base of more than 950 million monthly active users.
Under the agreement announced today, TON Connect will become the sole protocol for connecting Telegram Mini Apps to blockchain wallets. The move requires all mini apps using blockchain functionality to implement TON Connect within the next month.
The partnership expansion builds on a joint initiative launched in 2023 and will see Toncoin remain the exclusive cryptocurrency for non-fiat payments on Telegram's platform, including Premium subscriptions, advertising, and the Telegram Gateway SMS verification alternative.
Manuel Stotz, President of The Open Network Foundation, said: "After laying foundational groundwork over the last years, TON is now ready for explosive growth in 2025. The re-energized, deepened, and exclusive partnership with Telegram is an important step in our roadmap. Telegram is the sixth most downloaded app in the world, a beacon for free speech, and the default messaging platform for the global blockchain community. No other blockchain has a comparable distribution vector."
The Switzerland-based non-profit foundation revealed plans for Telegram to tokenise digital assets, including emojis and stickers, exclusively on the TON blockchain. Developers migrating to the new protocol within the deadline will receive promotional support from the TON Foundation.
TON aims to reach 500 million users by 2028 through building its Web3 ecosystem within Telegram Messenger. The blockchain platform operates on open-source software and maintains independence from central control, according to the foundation.
