Toncoin has reemerged dramatically as Telegram takes control of it’s mother network from community governance. The transition includes moving directly to a model where the organization guides the Blockchain’s development moving forward. As a result, the market has reacted with exceptional excitement driving Toncoin up more than 36% in the last 24 hours hitting a four-month high near $1.89. This is an enormous shift beyond just governance; it completely transforms how the world will see the connection between decentralized finance and global messaging.
A Major Governance Shakeup
The catalyst for this explosive rally was a direct announcement from Telegram founder Pavel Durov. In a recent update, Durov revealed that Telegram will officially replace the Swiss-based TON Foundation as the primary driving force behind The Open Network. To solidify this commitment, the messaging giant staked approximately 2.2 million TON—worth nearly $2.9 million—to become the network’s absolute largest validator. By running the most influential verification node, Telegram is putting its own corporate weight behind the blockchain’s overall security and strategic direction, effectively closing the gap between the messaging app’s narrative and actual network execution.
Slashing Fees to Near Zero
A critical component of this transition involves making the blockchain incredibly cheap to use. Durov announced that transaction fees on the network have been slashed sixfold, dropping to a fixed rate of roughly $0.0005 per transfer, regardless of network congestion. Following the recent Catchain 2.0 network upgrade—which already reduced transaction finality to under one second—these near-zero costs make the network highly practical. Durov also noted that the ultimate goal is to move the ecosystem toward a completely fee-less model, removing all financial friction for everyday users.
Building a True Web3 Super App
These microscopic transaction costs are exactly what Telegram needs to distribute actual consumer products to its massive audience of roughly 950 million monthly active users. When transaction fees are fixed at fractions of a cent, features like on-chain tipping, in-chat games, bot payments, and small retail transfers suddenly become viable. The broader market seems like it is now aware of the opportunities arising due to the upswing of bullish sentiment causing incredible amounts of bullish sentiment flowing from throughout the whole chain of our ecosystems.
Other related tokens such as Notcoin increased in price by approximately twenty-six percent, while the meme-based token DOGE surged by over one hundred percent in price in the same day.
The Looming Centralization Debate
The dramatic increase in price has fueled an intense discussion surrounding the fundamental transformation of the network toward decentralization. The Open Network was created and operated by a volunteer-led committee, whose focus was on developing a community-driven and open ecosystem. The largest validator of the Open Network is now a huge private corporation that has centralized control over the network. Decentralized finance enthusiasts are legitimately concerned that, because Telegram has other business interests—such as maximizing revenue from advertisements—these other interests could eventually interfere with the neutral governance functions necessary to allow the open blockchain to flourish completely.
Looking Ahead to the Roadmap
This aggressive takeover is officially framed as step three of Durov’s seven-point “Make TON Great Again” initiative. Over the next few weeks, developers can expect a completely redesigned web portal, advanced building tools, and further performance upgrades geared toward technological superiority. However, while the current market momentum is undeniable, the network’s underlying fundamentals still have some catching up to do. With just around $69 million in total value locked across its decentralized applications and roughly 50,000 daily active wallets, the true test will be whether Telegram’s direct involvement can finally convert hundreds of millions of casual chatters into active on-chain users.
