Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Regains Freedom: Can Toncoin (TON) Experience a Breakout?
TradingKey - Recent news of Telegram founder Pavel Durov regaining freedom has drawn significant attention in the cryptocurrency market. As one of the original initiators of the Toncoin (TON) project, Durov's movements hold significant implications for TON's future development.
This article explores the potential impact of Pavel Durov's regained freedom on Toncoin (TON), analyzing its technical advantages, market performance, ecosystem development, and the possibility of a future breakout.
Toncoin (TON) was initially developed by Telegram's team under the leadership of founder Pavel Durov with the goal of creating a blockchain platform that supports payments, storage, communication, and more. However, the project faced early regulatory challenges, leading to a tumultuous journey, as outlined below:
Time | Event |
2017 | Telegram released the TON (Telegram Open Network) whitepaper. |
2018 | Toncoin conducted its first token sale (ICO), raising $1.7 billion. |
2019 | The U.S. SEC sued Telegram over its ICO, citing unregistered token sales. |
2020 | Telegram halted the TON project due to regulatory pressure, after which community developers took over and rebranded it as The Open Network. Toncoin, the network's native token,subsequently entered the trading market. |
2021 | The TON ecosystem's developer community launched various applications and services, such as DeFi platforms and NFT marketplaces. |
2023 | Toncoin gradually became a key payment and transaction tool within the Telegram ecosystem. |
Pavel Durov, the founder, is a Russian entrepreneur and programmer, is best known for founding the social network VK and the messaging app Telegram. He garnered widespread support for his advocacy of free speech and privacy protection.
Like Solana (SOL), Toncoin is an emerging powerhouse in the blockchain space, offering significant technical advantages in scalability, speed, and security. However, the two differ in their specific implementations, as detailed below:
Feature | Toncoin（TON） | Solana（SOL） |
Network Architecture | Uses a multi-layered network architecture, balancing decentralization and centralization. | Adopts a single blockchain architecture, emphasizing fast processing and efficiency. |
Smart Contract | Supports diverse smart contract development, promoting decentralized applications (dApps). | Supports efficient smart contracts, with numerous dApps already running on the platform. |
Security | Employs advanced encryption to ensure user data and transaction security. | Uses "Proof of History" to enhance security and fairness. |
Scalability | Utilizes sharding to handle large transaction volumes. | Leverages historical data and multi-threading for high throughput and scalability. |
Transaction Speed | Aims for near-instant transaction confirmation times. | Processes over 65,000 transactions per second, offering high-speed transactions. |
Transaction Cost | Low transaction costs, suitable for daily micro-payments. | Low fees, typically a few cents, supporting high-frequency transactions. |
Similarities and Differences Between Toncoin and Solana, Source: TradingKey.
Toncoin's high performance and low costs make it a preferred platform for developers and businesses, attracting numerous projects across finance, art, gaming, social networks, and more, as shown below:
Use Case | Representative Projects |
Wallets | MyTonWallet, Spintria Wallet, Tonkeeper, TON Wallet WEB |
Exchanges | Crypto Bot, DeDust, StonFi, Neocrypto, Rainbow Swap |
Staking | Stakee, Hipo, Bemo, TON Validators |
NFT Marketplaces | Market App, Fragment, TON Diamonds |
Gaming | MineX, Major, #Memhash, Notcoin, PunkCity |
Social | Ton.Place, Community, Tribute, 4riends |
Others | TON DNS, Mobile, TONRaffles, Tonstarter |
According to DefiLlama data, as of March 18, Toncoin has 57 protocols, ranking 29th among all public blockchains. Its total value locked (TVL) in DeFi stands at $181 million, placing it 31st. While Toncoin's application ecosystem is not yet dominant, it holds a mid-tier position.
However, Toncoin's market capitalization stands at $8.5 billion, surpassing Stellar (XLM), Litecoin (LTC), and Avalanche (AVAX), ranking 13th among all cryptocurrencies—positioning it in the mid-to-upper-tier.
Top 10-20 Cryptocurrencies by Market Cap, Source: CoinMarketCap.
In 2021, TON's initial price was around $0.5, but it surged to $5 in the second half of the year amid the DeFi and NFT boom. In 2022, the crypto market correction pushed TON's price down to approximately $1.
In 2023, improved market sentiment and Toncoin's technical upgrades helped stabilize its price between $2 and $3. In 2024, TON soared above $8 but dropped to around $2.5 following Durov's arrest. It is currently rebounding above $3.
TON Price Chart (2021-2025), Source: CoinMarketCap.
Following the announcement of Durov's regained freedom, TON surged over 20% in a single day, primarily due to the following potential impacts:
Technological Innovation
Durov's freedom allows him to actively participate in blockchain and tech activities, potentially accelerating TON's innovation and upgrades.
Ecosystem Expansion
Durov's influence could attract more developers to the TON ecosystem, driving the growth of DApps and NFT projects. It may also promote cross-chain interoperability with platforms like Ethereum and Polkadot.
Regulation and Compliance
Durov's actions may push the TON community to prioritize compliance, ensuring the project operates within legal frameworks and collaborates with international regulators.
Market Sentiment
Durov's movements frequently draw media attention, boosting TON's exposure and market enthusiasm.
Community Engagement
Durov's return could revitalize the Telegram community, strengthening Toncoin's adoption given its close ties to Telegram.
Toncoin (TON), as a blockchain platform focused on payments, communication, and more, has already established a foothold in the crypto market. However, its ecosystem still has significant room for growth. Pavel Durov's return could accelerate application development, drive technological, and restore investor confidence.
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