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Layer 1

Toncoin (TON)

TON
The Open Network (TON) is a sharded layer-1 blockchain originally developed by the team behind the Telegram messaging app before being handed to an independent community project. It's integrated with Telegram for payments and mini-apps.
$1.4224h change unavailable

Data: Coinbase · updated 9/6/2026, 1:02:40 PM

What Toncoin does

  • Uses sharding to aim for high transaction throughput
  • Powers payments and mini-apps accessible through the Telegram messaging app
  • TON is used to pay gas fees and interact with dApps on the network
  • Supports smart contracts for DeFi and other on-chain applications

Risks to know

  • Originally tied to Telegram's Gram token offering, which drew SEC action in 2020 that led Telegram to halt the original project before it was relaunched independently
  • Ecosystem and third-party tooling are still relatively young compared to Ethereum or Bitcoin
  • Close association with Telegram means its fortunes are partly linked to that platform's decisions and reach
  • Sharded architecture is technically complex, which can carry execution risk during upgrades

Where to trade TON

Top-rated exchanges by CompareCEX Score. Check the exchange's market list for TON availability before depositing.

1
OKXcex
83.8/100CompareCEX Score v1
84% verified data coverage
See review
2
Binancecex
82.1/100CompareCEX Score v1
87% verified data coverage
See review
3
KuCoincex
78.6/100CompareCEX Score v1
82% verified data coverage
See review
Bitgetcex
76.5/100CompareCEX Score v1
67% verified data coverage
See review
HTXcex
76.3/100CompareCEX Score v1
74% verified data coverage
See review

Frequently asked questions

Is TON run by Telegram?

Not directly today. Telegram's founders originally developed the network (then called the Telegram Open Network) but stopped their involvement in 2020 after a dispute with the US SEC. The project was relaunched by an independent community as 'The Open Network,' though it remains closely integrated with the Telegram app.

What happened with the SEC and Telegram's token?

In 2020, the SEC obtained an injunction blocking Telegram from distributing its planned Gram tokens, arguing the sale was an unregistered securities offering. Telegram settled, returned funds to investors, and exited the project, which an independent community later continued as TON.

What is TON mainly used for?

TON is used to pay network fees and interact with mini-apps and payment features built into the Telegram messaging app, alongside broader smart-contract and DeFi use cases on the underlying blockchain.

Related coins

Ethereum (ETH)TRON (TRX)Solana (SOL)

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