Theo announced on January 21 that Telegram will stop supporting all Blockchains other than The Open Network (TON) for its messaging services, including Mini Apps.
TON will become the exclusive Blockchain infrastructure for Telegram's Mini App ecosystem as part of the new partnership between Telegram and the TON Foundation.
The announcement also noted that Telegram will continue to exclusively accept Toncoin for non-fiat payments to purchase products and services provided by Telegram.
This new partnership is built on the close collaboration between Telegram and the TON Foundation, where Telegram has repeatedly confirmed TON as Telegram's chosen Blockchain infrastructure for the Web3 ecosystem.
Deepening the Relationship between TON and Telegram
The TON Foundation stated that Telegram's TON features play a crucial role in the network's development through updates to Mini Apps, the use of Toncoin for payments and settlements, as well as the advertising platform.
The announcement stated: "The new exclusive agreement will deepen the technological relationship between TON and Telegram".
As part of the partnership, Telegram will continue to accept Toncoin as the sole token for payments made for Telegram services such as Telegram Stars, Telegram Premium, Telegram Ads, and Telegram Gateway.
Additionally, Toncoin will be the only currency used to pay Telegram Mini App developers and Telegram channel owners for the advertising revenue they earn.
TON Connect as the Exclusive Protocol to Link Telegram Mini Apps
A TON Foundation spokesperson shared that "Many developers had chosen to deploy on TON previously, but some had added Blockchain functionality through other networks".
The representative stated that Mini Apps will be launched on networks like Sui, Solana, Aptos, and others, and added:
The expanded partnership will make TON Connect the exclusive protocol to link Telegram Mini Apps with Blockchain wallets — thus, Mini Apps can only implement Blockchain functionality on TON.
The spokesperson said Toncoin will remain the sole non-fiat payment option accepted by Telegram. "This further solidifies their ongoing commitment to integrating Toncoin into their ecosystem," the spokesperson added.
The new TON Foundation Chairman, Manuel Stotz, emphasized the role of the exclusive partnership with Telegram as a crucial step in the fund's roadmap.
"After laying the groundwork in recent years, TON is now poised for explosive growth in 2025," he said, and added:
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.
The move to restrict all Blockchains other than TON from Telegram's in-app services comes shortly after Hamster Kombat — one of Telegram's most popular Mini Apps — announced plans to launch its own Blockchain network on January 15.
The announcement stated: "Hamster DAO has voted to support the partnership between Hamster Kombat and Tycho Protocol to build the strongest Blockchain".
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