Telegram takes direct control of TON network

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Telegram becomes TON largest validator

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Olga Shendetskaya

05.05.2026

Telegram takes direct control of TON network — Telegram takes control of TON blockchain

Telegram has taken over as the largest validator of the TON blockchain, replacing the TON Foundation. The move positions TON as the exclusive blockchain for Telegram’s vast ecosystem of mini-apps and strengthens the messaging platform’s direct control over the network.

Highlights

Telegram has become the largest validator of the TON blockchain.
Network fees reduced sixfold to roughly $0.0005 per transaction.
TON is now the official blockchain for Telegram’s mini-apps and AI agents.
Toncoin rose up to 28% in a day after the announcement.

Strategic shift

The change follows founder Pavel Durov’s announcement of a sixfold reduction in network fees, bringing the cost of a transaction down to approximately $0.0005. New website updates for TON, focused on developer tools and performance, are expected within the next two to three weeks.

This marks the completion of a full circle for the project. Originally developed by Telegram in 2018, TON was handed over to the community-led TON Foundation in 2020 due to regulatory pressure from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Market reaction and ecosystem growth

Following the announcement, Toncoin (TON) surged as much as 28% in a single day. The total market capitalization of TON-based meme coins has exceeded $156 million.

Telegram is actively integrating TON with AI agents. The network now processes transactions in under one second, making it highly suitable for AI-driven payments and frequent on-chain interactions. With nearly one billion monthly active users, Telegram offers AI developers immediate access to a massive audience without requiring users to download separate apps or create new accounts.

Telegram strengthens control over TON

The decision gives Telegram significant influence over the blockchain’s operations while opening TON to a huge user base.

It creates real utility and demand for the TON token but also raises questions about decentralization, as network governance is shifting from a community foundation toward a private company. How this balance between scale, usability, and decentralization plays out will be closely watched by the broader crypto industry.

In an earlier report, we noted that Telegram ecosystem moves deeper into crypto commerce with the TON Pay rollout.

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