Introduction to TON Exclusivity

Telegram’s decision to exclusively support The Open Network (TON) for its in-app Web3 ecosystem has been defended by Steve Yun, a TON Foundation board member. Yun emphasizes that this exclusivity is not a limitation but a necessity, particularly in terms of security and scalability.

Benefits of TON Exclusivity

TON is designed to handle the high network capacity required by Telegram’s massive user base of 950 million. According to Yun, TON’s sharding technology allows it to support mass adoption, which is crucial for on-chain products. This approach also mitigates security risks associated with using unscalable blockchains that might rely on side-chains or off-chain solutions.

Addressing Centralization Concerns

Yun addressed concerns about centralization by highlighting that the TON blockchain remains permissionless and open to everyone. Additionally, Telegram bots will continue to support multiple blockchains, providing an exemption for those not using the Mini App component.

Impact on TON’s Growth

Despite recent market declines, Yun views the exclusive partnership as a bullish sign for TON. As Telegram’s ecosystem matures, more teams will be incentivized to build on TON to access its vast user base. This growth strategy is supported by the launch of TVM Ventures, a $100 million fund aimed at promoting decentralized applications on TON.

Challenges and Future Prospects

While Toncoin‘s market cap has seen significant declines, Yun believes that focusing on building scalable decentralized products will help restore growth and attract capital back to the ecosystem.