Telegram to Take Over TON Governance and Become Its Largest Validator
TON began as a blockchain project launched by Telegram in 2018 and raised $1.7 billion. After Telegram withdrew in 2020 following a lawsuit by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the community and the TON Foundation continued its development. The return of governance control to Telegram has implications for the integration of blockchain services across the platform and its 950 million users.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov recently said the company would replace the TON Foundation within 2–3 weeks, taking direct control of governance and technical development while becoming TON’s largest validator. The move is the third step in the “Make TON Great Again” plan, which aims to reshape the TON ecosystem and Telegram’s business model.
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4 original reportsThe Backstory
The history behind this eventTelegram Founder Says TON Has Fastest Finality as Token Surges Back Into Top 20
TON, or The Open Network, was initially developed by the Telegram team before its operations were continued by the community and TON Foundation. Its adoption has expanded through Telegram’s built-in wallet and Mini Apps ecosystem. Because blockchain finality directly affects payment efficiency and user experience, the market has closely watched TON’s performance and level of platform integration.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov recently said TON achieves finality in just 0.6 seconds, the fastest among major Layer 1 blockchains. As Telegram deepened its integration and network fees were sharply reduced, the TON token rose about 80% at one point, lifting it back into the world’s 20 largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. The reports did not provide an exact date or market-cap figure.
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