Toncoin has posted impressive gains alongside a broad rally in meme tokens on its blockchain after Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced that the messaging platform would step in as the primary driver of The Open Network (TON). The move effectively positions Telegram to replace the independent TON Foundation and serve as the network’s largest validator, marking a significant evolution in how the blockchain is managed and developed.
Durov shared the update on May 4, noting that transaction fees had already plunged sixfold to near zero.
Fees in TON have dropped 6× — to nearly zero.
Next step — Telegram replaces the TON Foundation as the driving force behind TON and becomes its largest validator.
The focus shifts to tech superiority.
New https://t.co/Me0w683UiK, new dev tools, new performance upgrades.…
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 4, 2026
He emphasized a renewed focus on technical excellence, with plans for an overhauled ton.org website, fresh developer tools, and performance enhancements set to roll out in just two to three weeks.
Telegram has also committed resources by staking a substantial amount of TON, solidifying its operational stake. The full announcement is available directly from Durov’s post on X.
Markets reacted swiftly and enthusiastically. Toncoin surged more than 30 percent in 24 hours, climbing from roughly $1.37 to $1.84 and pushing its market capitalization to about $4.5 billion.
Trading volume exploded over 600 percent, topping $630 million as investors priced in the implications of tighter integration between the popular messaging app and its underlying blockchain.
The momentum spilled over into TON-native meme coins, whose combined market capitalization jumped 67 percent in a single day.
Standouts included Notcoin, which rose about 26 percent, Dogs climbing over 90 percent, and smaller tokens such as Morfey, Resistance Duck, and Cubigator delivering triple- and quadruple-digit percentage gains.
Crypto industry voices have largely welcomed the news, viewing it as a catalyst for real-world utility.
Blockchain analyst Maria Chen remarked that because Telegram originally conceived TON, its hands-on leadership should bring greater consistency and execution focus to the project.
Fintech researcher David Park drew parallels to other Layer-1 networks like Solana, where centralized stewardship has accelerated growth, though he cautioned that maintaining a healthy balance of decentralization will be key to long-term success.
This deepened involvement from a platform with nearly one billion users could open the door to meaningful innovation and faster product rollouts.
Features such as seamless mini-apps, instant payments, and broader Web3 experiences within Telegram stand to benefit directly from TON’s upgraded infrastructure.
By bridging everyday social interactions with blockchain functionality, the shift has the potential to drive mainstream adoption and strengthen the entire digital assets ecosystem.
While some observers note risks around concentrated influence, the prevailing sentiment is optimistic: Telegram’s strategic pivot could transform TON from a promising side project into a high-performance engine for consumer-facing crypto applications. As the two-to-three-week timeline for upgrades approaches, the coming weeks will likely reveal whether this leadership change delivers the momentum the network has been needing for years.
