Toncoin (TON) Skyrockets 34% as Telegram Assumes Control from TON Foundation

Key Highlights

• Pavel Durov announced Telegram will take over from TON Foundation as the primary force driving the TON blockchain, sending Toncoin (TON) up more than 30%.
• The messaging platform will operate as TON’s primary validator, with Durov emphasizing a renewed commitment to “technological excellence.”
• Network transaction costs have decreased by 83%, falling to practically zero and boosting attractiveness for both users and developers.
• Daily trading activity skyrocketed 600%, surpassing $630 million within 24 hours, while market capitalization reached $4.5 billion.
• Meme coins built on TON experienced dramatic gains, including Dogs soaring over 90% and Notcoin climbing 26%.

Toncoin (TON) experienced one of its most significant daily price surges in recent months following an announcement from Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, who shared a critical governance change for the TON blockchain via his X account.

In his announcement, Durov revealed that Telegram would “replace the TON Foundation as the driving force behind TON and become its largest validator.” Despite the brevity of the message, the market response was swift and substantial. TON’s price surged from $1.37 to a peak of $1.84 over the following 24 hours, representing approximately 34% growth.

Cryptocurrency analyst Sam Cooling emphasized that the significance of this development extends far beyond simple organizational restructuring. With Telegram’s massive user base of 950 million monthly active accounts, the platform is now officially integrating its operations with a single blockchain infrastructure—establishing what Cooling characterizes as “structural demand for TON that didn’t exist under a community-run foundation.”

Market activity confirmed this assessment. Trading volume exploded by 600%, exceeding $630 million over a 24-hour period, while Toncoin’s market capitalization climbed to $4.5 billion.

Durov further revealed that TON’s transaction costs have been reduced by a factor of six, now approaching zero. He announced that significant upgrades—including a redesigned ton.org website, enhanced developer resources, and network performance enhancements—are scheduled for release within the next two to three weeks.

Telegram’s new role as TON’s primary validator gives the company direct authority to validate network transactions, collect staking incentives, and exercise significant influence over future protocol governance. This integration also creates a tighter connection between Telegram’s revenue model and the TON ecosystem.

What the Telegram-TON Connection Means in Practice

A practical illustration of this integration is visible in the Telegram Ad Platform. Advertisers must acquire advertising space using Toncoin, while channel operators receive 50% of ad revenue distributed in TON. Telegram intends to expand this model through Telegram Stars by the third quarter of 2026. Every advertising transaction generates buying pressure for TON, while revenue distributions circulate the token throughout the ecosystem.

The blockchain has already processed 1.5 billion transactions during the first quarter of 2026 alone. Total value locked within the TON ecosystem reached $1.2 billion by April 2026. The TON v4 upgrade deployed in March 2026 implemented sharding technology capable of processing more than 100,000 transactions per second.

Durov also demonstrated personal commitment by investing $5 million into TON liquidity pools in late 2024.

Meme Token Surge Across the TON Ecosystem

The price rally extended well beyond Toncoin itself. The aggregate market capitalization of meme tokens built on TON increased 67% within a single day, based on CoinGecko data.

Notcoin, a tap-to-earn token distributed through Telegram mini-applications, appreciated 26%. Dogs, a community-driven meme token on TON, skyrocketed more than 90%—despite still trading approximately 96% below its peak value. Lower-capitalization tokens experienced even more dramatic movements, with Morfey climbing nearly 1,000%, Resistance Duck surging 645%, and Cubigator advancing 390%.

At press time, TON was changing hands near $1.44, representing approximately 6% daily gains, with trading volume reaching $232 million—a 235% increase compared to the previous day.

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