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5 years of TON: from testnet to ecosystem with millions of users and MTONGA program
5 years of TON: from testnet to ecosystem with millions of users and MTONGA program
All the news🎂 5 years of TON: from experimental testnet to ecosystem with millions of users
May 26, 2021 at 22:42 an event occurred that in five years will be perceived as one of the key milestones in the history of the blockchain industry: the network testnet2 officially moved to the status mainnet, launching full-fledged blockchain work The Open Network (TON). Over the past five years, the project has gone from experimental development to one of the largest ecosystems in the cryptosphere with millions of users, deep integration with Telegram and an ambitious transformation program MTONGA (Make TON Great Again).
📜 Historical context: birth from the ashes of Telegram Open Network
To appreciate the scale of the journey, it is important to remember the backstory:
🔹 2018: Telegram raised $1.7 billion through SAFT to launch Telegram Open Network with the Gram token;
🔹 2019–2020: SEC blocked the project, recognizing Gram as unregistered securities;
🔹 2020: Pavel Durov officially ceased participation, the project was handed over to an independent community;
🔹 2021: TON Foundation revived the network under a new name — The Open Network;
🔹 May 26, 2021, 22:42: launch of mainnet — official birth of TON in its current form.
🔹 2019–2020: SEC blocked the project, recognizing Gram as unregistered securities;
🔹 2020: Pavel Durov officially ceased participation, the project was handed over to an independent community;
🔹 2021: TON Foundation revived the network under a new name — The Open Network;
🔹 May 26, 2021, 22:42: launch of mainnet — official birth of TON in its current form.
This is one of the most dramatic comebacks in the history of the cryptosphere: a project that the regulator effectively «killed» was revived and turned into one of the most dynamic L1 networks in the world.
🏗 Five years of evolution: key milestones
Over five years, TON has gone through several phases of development:
Phase 1: Survival and Decentralization (2021–2022)
✅ Formation of an independent community of developers;
✅ Launch of basic infrastructure: validators, wallets, explorers;
✅ First DeFi protocols and NFT marketplaces;
✅ Gradual withdrawal from association with Telegram at the legal level.
✅ Formation of an independent community of developers;
✅ Launch of basic infrastructure: validators, wallets, explorers;
✅ First DeFi protocols and NFT marketplaces;
✅ Gradual withdrawal from association with Telegram at the legal level.
Phase 2: Integration with Telegram (2023–2024)
✅ Implementation of TON wallet directly into the Telegram interface (900+ million users);
✅ Launch of Telegram Apps — platform for mini-applications on the blockchain;
✅ Appearance of the first viral projects: Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, Catizen;
✅ Explosive growth of the user base — millions of new onboardings through the messenger.
✅ Implementation of TON wallet directly into the Telegram interface (900+ million users);
✅ Launch of Telegram Apps — platform for mini-applications on the blockchain;
✅ Appearance of the first viral projects: Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, Catizen;
✅ Explosive growth of the user base — millions of new onboardings through the messenger.
Phase 3: Institutionalization and Scaling (2025–2026)
✅ April 2025: Justin Sun (TRON) begins cooperation, scaling of the stablecoin KGST;
✅ November 2025: issuance of USDKG — gold stablecoin (50 million tokens);
✅ April 2026: launch Catchain 2.0 — acceleration of the blockchain by 10 times, blocks in 400 ms;
✅ May 2026: start of the program MTONGA of 7 steps, including rebranding to GRAM;
✅ Current status: one of the largest L1 networks by user activity.
✅ April 2025: Justin Sun (TRON) begins cooperation, scaling of the stablecoin KGST;
✅ November 2025: issuance of USDKG — gold stablecoin (50 million tokens);
✅ April 2026: launch Catchain 2.0 — acceleration of the blockchain by 10 times, blocks in 400 ms;
✅ May 2026: start of the program MTONGA of 7 steps, including rebranding to GRAM;
✅ Current status: one of the largest L1 networks by user activity.
🎯 Current state: TON in numbers
Modern TON — is a mature ecosystem with impressive metrics:
🔹 User base: millions of active wallets, integrated with Telegram;
🔹 DeFi sector: TVL is growing, key protocols — STON.fi, DeDust, Tonstakers;
🔹 Staking: native mechanism with yield, attracting long-term holders;
🔹 Stablecoins: USDT, jUSDT, USDt, native USDT through TON infrastructure;
🔹 NFT and gaming: the largest segment of activity through Telegram Mini Apps;
🔹 Speed: after Catchain 2.0 — 400 ms per block, transactions
🔹 Commissions: some of the lowest in the industry, planned to be reduced by another 6 times.
🔹 DeFi sector: TVL is growing, key protocols — STON.fi, DeDust, Tonstakers;
🔹 Staking: native mechanism with yield, attracting long-term holders;
🔹 Stablecoins: USDT, jUSDT, USDt, native USDT through TON infrastructure;
🔹 NFT and gaming: the largest segment of activity through Telegram Mini Apps;
🔹 Speed: after Catchain 2.0 — 400 ms per block, transactions
🔹 Commissions: some of the lowest in the industry, planned to be reduced by another 6 times.
🗺 MTONGA Program: 7 Steps to Relaunch
Pavel Durov's ambitious program MTONGA (Make TON Great Again) defines the development strategy for 2026–2027:
✅ Step 1 (completed, April 9): Catchain 2.0 — acceleration by 10 times;
🔜 Step 2 (next): reduction of commissions by 6 times;
🔜 Step 3: details are expected;
✅ Step 4 (current): rebranding TON → GRAM — return to the historical name;
🔜 Steps 5–7: will be disclosed later.
🔜 Step 2 (next): reduction of commissions by 6 times;
🔜 Step 3: details are expected;
✅ Step 4 (current): rebranding TON → GRAM — return to the historical name;
🔜 Steps 5–7: will be disclosed later.
Key challenge: rebranding to GRAM caused a split in the community — large holders are for, retail is against. This is a test of the maturity of decentralized governance.
⚔️ Competitive positions: TON vs other L1
Against the backdrop of parity between Solana and Ethereum in DEX volumes and Ethereum's leadership in developers, TON occupies a unique niche:
✅ Unique advantage: direct integration with Telegram — 900+ million ready users;
✅ Weakness: dependence on one messenger creates a single point of failure;
✅ Strengths: speed (after Catchain 2.0), low commissions, gaming ecosystem;
✅ Challenges: regulatory status of GRAM (SEC precedent 2020), centralization of Telegram's influence.
✅ Weakness: dependence on one messenger creates a single point of failure;
✅ Strengths: speed (after Catchain 2.0), low commissions, gaming ecosystem;
✅ Challenges: regulatory status of GRAM (SEC precedent 2020), centralization of Telegram's influence.
🌍 Connection with other trends 2026
The five-year anniversary of TON coincides with several key trends:
✅ AI agents and M2M economy: TON can become infrastructure for micro-payments of agents in Telegram;
✅ Stablecoins $323 billion: TON is actively developing stablecoin infrastructure (USDT, KGST);
✅ Privacy as a trend: TON can integrate ZK solutions for confidentiality;
✅ Institutionalization: cooperation with Justin Sun and TRON opens access to institutional capital;
✅ Quantum protection: like other L1, TON should prepare for the post-quantum era.
✅ Stablecoins $323 billion: TON is actively developing stablecoin infrastructure (USDT, KGST);
✅ Privacy as a trend: TON can integrate ZK solutions for confidentiality;
✅ Institutionalization: cooperation with Justin Sun and TRON opens access to institutional capital;
✅ Quantum protection: like other L1, TON should prepare for the post-quantum era.
🎯 What's next: vision for the next 5 years
Five years — is just the beginning. For TON it is critically important:
✅ Diversification beyond Telegram: development of an independent ecosystem of dApps;
✅ Institutional acceptance: attracting large capital through stablecoins and RWA;
✅ Technological leadership: maintaining speed and low transaction costs;
✅ Regulatory clarity: resolving issues with the SEC on the status of GRAM/TON;
✅ Sustainable community: transition from viral hype to long-term users;
✅ Global expansion: going beyond the CIS and Asia to Western markets.
✅ Institutional acceptance: attracting large capital through stablecoins and RWA;
✅ Technological leadership: maintaining speed and low transaction costs;
✅ Regulatory clarity: resolving issues with the SEC on the status of GRAM/TON;
✅ Sustainable community: transition from viral hype to long-term users;
✅ Global expansion: going beyond the CIS and Asia to Western markets.