<\/p>\n
Once people see what\u2019s already possible in Telegram, everything changes, says Martin Masser, Head of Growth at the TON Foundation.<\/p>\n
The Open Network (TON) has rapidly evolved from an experimental blockchain project into a growing ecosystem embedded within Telegram. With integrated wallets, payments, and mini apps, TON\u2019s daily activity has surged, making it one of the few Layer-1 networks tied directly to a mainstream platform.<\/p>\n
At the center of this expansion is Masser, who explains how TON is leveraging Telegram\u2019s global audience to onboard the next generation of crypto users. \u201cWhenever I do talks, I ask the audience who\u2019s on Telegram, and every hand goes up,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s powerful \u2014 you already have this enormous, active user base that spends time there every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Masser, the appeal is clear: \u201cSo from that perspective, it\u2019s the logical blockchain for Telegram. The way TON is built \u2014 with sharding and scalability in mind \u2014 fits perfectly. You use Telegram? Great. TON is the blockchain that Telegram has chosen, and it\u2019s integrated everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s missing, he notes, is awareness. Many users don\u2019t realize the ecosystem is already live. Once they discover it, they\u2019re amazed at how much they can do inside Telegram without leaving the app \u2014 from seamless payments and NFTs to casual blockchain gaming and mini apps.<\/p>\n
In the following interview, Masser dives into TON\u2019s unique advantages, developer opportunities, and creative initiatives, including the Sera Space Program, a first-of-its-kind community-driven space mission accessible through Telegram.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Crypto.news: TON\u2019s integration with Telegram puts it in a unique position when it comes to attracting users. How does this position look like from your perspective? <\/strong><\/p>\n Martin Masser<\/strong>: Whenever I do talks, I ask the audience who\u2019s on Telegram, and every hand goes up. You can\u2019t really go to a crypto conference and find someone who isn\u2019t using it. That\u2019s what makes it so powerful \u2014 you already have this enormous, active user base that spends time there every day.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just that people have the app installed; for most users, Telegram is in their top three apps. I\u2019ve done this test with journalists \u2014 I tell them, \u201cCheck your iPhone. What are your top three apps?\u201d It\u2019s always something like Chrome, Telegram, and X. That tells you how central it is to people\u2019s digital lives.<\/p>\n So from that perspective, it\u2019s the logical blockchain for Telegram. The way TON is built \u2014 with sharding and scalability in mind \u2014 fits perfectly. It\u2019s different from other blockchains in some ways, with both pros and cons, but for me, it\u2019s the easiest story in crypto to explain: \u201cYou use Telegram? Great. TON is the blockchain that Telegram has chosen, and it\u2019s integrated everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s missing is awareness. People often don\u2019t realize it\u2019s already there. Once they do, they\u2019re amazed by how much they can actually do inside Telegram without leaving the app. <\/p>\n Crypto.news: Since awareness is missing, are there any mini apps or use cases you recommend? <\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: That\u2019s always a tricky question because, as someone from the Foundation, I have to be careful not to single out projects. The last time I mentioned one I liked, people said I shouldn\u2019t be seen favoring anything. [laughs] But I\u2019ll give you a few examples anyway.<\/p>\n If you like gaming, there\u2019s a lot happening. You\u2019ve got Goat Gaming, Dropy, and TON Battlegrounds, which is a first-person shooter built as a mini app. It loads directly inside Telegram \u2014 no downloads, no setup. You can play a few rounds and go about your day.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also Sixers Cricket, which looks great. What\u2019s exciting is that developers are starting to explore how to merge Telegram\u2019s social reach with blockchain features like NFTs. It\u2019s similar to how Facebook once had casual games like FarmVille \u2014 you could jump in for a few minutes, but now it\u2019s on-chain.<\/p>\n The key difference is friction. In the old GameFi model, you had to connect a wallet, sign transactions, jump through hoops \u2014 most people dropped off before even playing. On Telegram, it\u2019s one click. You connect your TON wallet, and you\u2019re in.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the breakthrough: casual, seamless blockchain gaming that feels like normal mobile gaming. You can move from DeFi to NFTs to payments all within one ecosystem. As a Foundation, our job now is to make sure more people see what\u2019s already possible inside Telegram.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Crypto.news: When it comes to these games, what\u2019s the Web3 angle? What\u2019s the advantage of having them on TON instead of, say, Facebook or another traditional platform?<\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: The original idea behind blockchain gaming was that everything you did in a game would be on-chain \u2014 every move, every click. But that doesn\u2019t make much sense in practice. You don\u2019t need every tiny action recorded on the blockchain.<\/p>\n What does make sense is integrating NFTs and digital collectibles in a meaningful way. For example, projects like Sappy Seals have done a great job letting people use collectibles inside the game. You might own certain Telegram stickers or NFTs that give you an extra level, a new skin, or a few more chances in the game.<\/p>\n It\u2019s about adding utility to digital items that people already own and care about. Communities are experimenting with different models \u2014 some give collectibles away, others sell them, and some use them for access or reputation. The point is that these NFTs actually do something now.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve got things like Score Suite, which is about to do a big sticker sale with licensed sports IPs. They realized fans would buy digital stickers of famous cricketers, play the games more, and build an economy around that. That\u2019s what excites me \u2014 not NFTs for their own sake, but NFTs that tie into real engagement and activity.<\/p>\n Crypto.news: What about use cases beyond gaming? What\u2019s something people might find genuinely useful but maybe haven\u2019t heard about yet?<\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: I think the biggest one is sending crypto instantly through Telegram. You can send USDT or TON directly in a chat. I can literally message Alex right now, type \u201c@push 1 USDT,\u201d and send him a dollar instantly.<\/p>\n People are using it for simple, real-world things \u2014 like splitting a restaurant bill. Someone told me they were in New York, and Revolut didn\u2019t work, Venmo didn\u2019t work, but both people had USDT. I said, \u201cYou\u2019re both on Telegram \u2014 just send it.\u201d It\u2019s seamless.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a real use case: frictionless, cross-border payments. If you\u2019re in Croatia and I\u2019m in London, I can send you USDT instantly through Telegram. No middlemen, no fees, no setup headaches.<\/p>\n Crypto.news: So the only thing you need is to deposit some crypto in your Telegram wallet?<\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: Exactly. You fund your wallet once, and if someone sends you crypto for the first time, Telegram automatically generates a wallet for you. Depending on your region, it might be custodial or non-custodial, but it\u2019s simple.<\/p>\n After that, you can send or receive USDT, TON (TON), NFTs \u2014 even stake tokens. The idea is to give users the core tools, then let the ecosystem innovate on top of them. Once people see how easy it is, they start imagining new things \u2014 like yield-bearing tokens you can send directly in chat. It opens up endless possibilities.<\/p>\n Crypto.news: When you talk to developers, what do you highlight as the main benefits of building on TON? And what kind of feedback or concerns do you get from them?<\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: The first thing developers notice is how naturally everything connects through Telegram. When they reach out to us, it\u2019s usually on Telegram. They\u2019re already there \u2014 talking to their users, running communities, managing projects. So for them, it\u2019s about asking, \u201cHow can we build something right inside the app where everyone already spends time?\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s the appeal. They get immediate reach and distribution. You can share a mini app in a group chat, and suddenly hundreds or thousands of people are playing or using it within seconds. It\u2019s social, frictionless, and viral.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve seen that most growth comes through referrals. Someone says, \u201cHey, check out this game,\u201d drops the link, and everyone in the chat joins instantly. I think around 90% or more of new users come through that kind of word-of-mouth sharing.<\/p>\n Of course, there are still some pain points. Documentation and onboarding for developers need to improve \u2014 we\u2019re working on that. The Foundation is updating resources and tutorials to make it clearer how to build mini apps, integrate TON, or launch stickers and collectibles. We don\u2019t just want to say, \u201cHere\u2019s a billion users \u2014 go build.\u201d We need to make sure they have the tools and support to succeed.<\/p>\n Another big challenge is awareness. When I speak at events, I\u2019ll ask the room, \u201cWho here uses Telegram?\u201d Every hand goes up. Then I ask, \u201cWho\u2019s used a mini app?\u201d Maybe two or three hands. But when I ask, \u201cWho\u2019s played Hamster Kombat?\u201d suddenly 70% raise their hands \u2014 and they don\u2019t even realize that\u2019s a mini app.<\/p>\n People think they\u2019re just using a web page inside Telegram. Once they understand it\u2019s an actual in-app experience powered by TON, everything clicks. That\u2019s why I\u2019m doing interviews like this \u2014 to bridge that awareness gap.<\/p>\n Once people understand the overlap between Telegram and TON \u2014 what each does and how they complement each other \u2014 more builders come in. And when good builders arrive, the ecosystem grows naturally. We saw that with Notcoin: it took off, inspired a wave of follow-up projects, and suddenly the whole ecosystem accelerated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Crypto.news: Do you think that a part of the accessibility issue is Telegram\u2019s evolution into a \u2018super app\u2019? There\u2019s so much going on there that it can almost feel overwhelming. Do you have any insights into how Telegram is dealing with this question? <\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: Telegram and TON are separate entities, so I can\u2019t really comment on their internal product roadmap. What I can say is that the Telegram team is obviously very aware of how their app is being used \u2014 they live in it every day.<\/p>\n From what we\u2019ve seen, their turnaround on updates is incredibly fast. They\u2019re constantly improving things, releasing new features, and iterating quickly. But since we\u2019re not the same organization, it wouldn\u2019t be right for me to speak for them or speculate on what they\u2019re working on next.<\/p>\n Crypto.news: What are some of the things you or the broader TON and Telegram ecosystem are most excited about right now, technically or creatively?<\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: Personally, I\u2019m really excited about Telegram Gifts. What\u2019s really interesting is how whole economies are now forming around them. You\u2019ve got marketplaces like TON Market and TON Portal where users can buy, sell, and even rent out their gifts.<\/p>\n Once you have that foundation \u2014 unique digital items that people actually care about \u2014 developers start building new layers of functionality. Games are integrating them, creators are distributing them, and users are forming entire communities around specific collectibles.<\/p>\n It reminds me a bit of the early iPhone era. When the iPhone first launched, the real innovation didn\u2019t happen immediately \u2014 it came a couple of years later when people started building things that could only exist because of the iPhone, like Uber. TON and Telegram are now at that same point.<\/p>\n We\u2019re seeing similar ripple effects here. The gift economy connects directly with gaming, creators, and marketplaces. Someone mints a collectible, another builds a mini app around it, and a third project creates a way to trade or stake it. Suddenly, you\u2019ve got this self-sustaining digital economy running inside Telegram.<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s the creator side. Telegram has always been strong among creators \u2014 journalists, influencers, and analysts. They tend to post on X, but they build communities on Telegram. It\u2019s where their most loyal followers are.<\/p>\n Now, with collectibles, stickers, and payments, those creators can finally monetize directly. I have my own channel, and people can tip me with Telegram Stars or send gifts as a thank-you. It\u2019s simple, and it actually works.<\/p>\n That\u2019s something you can\u2019t do on other platforms unless you reach massive scale. On Telegram, even smaller creators can start earning right away. They can set up paid messages, offer exclusive groups, or build NFT-gated channels \u2014 all without leaving the app.<\/p>\n Crypto.news: You mentioned stickers earlier \u2014 how do they fit into this ecosystem?<\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: Stickers are another fascinating piece. Some are off-chain, but the ones created through Fuse, Telegram\u2019s official sticker store, are minted on-chain using the NFT 2.0 standard.<\/p>\n What\u2019s special about NFT 2.0 is automatic royalties. In older NFT models, creators had to rely on marketplaces to enforce royalties. Here, it\u2019s built directly into the token itself. Every time that sticker is traded, the creator gets paid.<\/p>\n That gives artists a reason to keep projects alive and valuable. Instead of abandoning a collection once it sells out, they have a financial incentive to keep engaging their audience and adding new content. It makes the whole system more sustainable for creators.<\/p>\n So between Stars, gifts, collectibles, and NFTs with baked-in royalties, you\u2019re seeing a real, functioning creator economy emerge inside Telegram \u2014 powered by TON, but accessible to anyone, even those who\u2019ve never used a blockchain wallet before.<\/p>\n Crypto.news: Is there anything else you\u2019d like to add or mention? <\/strong><\/p>\n Masser<\/strong>: Yes, actually \u2014 I\u2019d love to mention the Sera Space Program. It\u2019s an exciting initiative we\u2019re running that gives people a chance to participate in a real space mission. We\u2019ve got six seats on Blue Origin, and five of them are reserved for people from countries that don\u2019t usually get the opportunity to take part in space programs \u2014 places like Nigeria, Brazil, and India, among others.<\/p>\n To put it in perspective, Justin Sun reportedly paid $28 million for a Blue Origin seat. Here, we\u2019re opening the door for six people from the community, chosen through on-chain voting on TON, using Telegram as the interface.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just symbolic \u2014 users will actually be able to vote on the experiments that get conducted in space. We call it the people\u2019s space program because it\u2019s about giving global communities direct input in something that was once out of reach.<\/p>\n What\u2019s even better is that it\u2019s not just individuals campaigning on their own. Communities are forming around candidates, rallying support, and voting together. So, say there\u2019s a Croatian participant \u2014 the whole Dinamo Zagreb fan community could get behind him, send votes, and maybe even see their guy take a Croatian flag into space.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the kind of global, participatory energy TON and Telegram make possible. We\u2019re connecting people across borders, using blockchain not as a buzzword but as real infrastructure for collaboration and access.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Once people see what\u2019s already possible in Telegram, everything changes, says Martin Masser, Head of Growth at the TON Foundation. 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