TON Surges Into Top 10 Cryptocurrencies: Can It Sustain the Momentum?

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The cryptocurrency landscape is shifting rapidly, and one name making significant waves in 2025 is TON (The Open Network). Recently, TON surged over 25.3% in 24 hours, reaching a price of $6.91** and pushing its market capitalization to **$23.4 billion—officially overtaking Cardano (ADA) to claim the 10th spot among the largest cryptocurrencies by market cap.

This milestone marks a turning point for a project that, despite its strong foundation, had struggled to gain consistent traction in previous years. For most of 2024, TON traded below $3. But now, fueled by strategic integrations with Telegram, explosive growth in user activity, and aggressive ecosystem incentives, TON is emerging as a major player in the Web3 space.

Rising Network Activity Signals Strong Adoption

Data from Token Terminal shows a clear upward trend in TON’s network engagement starting in February 2025. Over the past seven days alone, the number of active addresses on the TON blockchain reached 827,100, a staggering 97.8% increase compared to the previous month.

Even more impressive? As of mid-April, TON’s monthly active users have already surpassed 1 million, exceeding March’s total by 21%. This surge isn't just speculative interest—it reflects real-world usage and growing adoption across decentralized applications (dApps) built on the network.

👉 Discover how high user engagement is driving the next wave of blockchain innovation.

TVL Soars Amid Ecosystem Expansion

Total Value Locked (TVL) is a key indicator of a blockchain’s DeFi health—and TON is excelling here too. According to DefiLlama, TON’s TVL has skyrocketed by 661% over the past two months, now exceeding $144 million.

This rapid growth can be traced back to several catalysts:

The foundation laid by earlier testnet campaigns continues to pay dividends. A two-week pilot “Alliance Season” previously boosted TVL by 70% and daily active wallets by 370%—early proof that well-structured incentive programs can drive meaningful on-chain behavior.

Telegram Integration: The Game-Changing Advantage

What truly sets TON apart is its deep integration with Telegram, one of the world’s most widely used messaging platforms, boasting over 900 million users globally.

In February 2025, Telegram announced that its upcoming advertising platform will operate entirely on the TON blockchain. Publishers and channel owners will receive revenue payouts in Toncoin, creating a direct, real-time economic link between content creation and cryptocurrency rewards.

This move transforms TON from a standalone blockchain into a core infrastructure layer for one of the internet’s largest communication ecosystems.

Additionally, Binance launched TON perpetual futures contracts on March 1, increasing accessibility and liquidity for global traders. Combined with growing media coverage—including a rare interview with Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who confirmed the app is nearing profitability and considering an IPO—market sentiment around TON has shifted decisively bullish.

TON Foundation Fuels Growth With $30 Million Incentive Program

To accelerate adoption beyond speculation, the TON Foundation launched its first official Public League season in April 2025—an ecosystem-wide competition distributing 30 million Toncoins (worth over $200 million at current prices) to developers and users alike.

Projects compete monthly for funding, while community members earn rewards by interacting with dApps, playing games, or completing tasks. The immediate impact was clear: TON’s price jumped over 30% on the day of the announcement.

One standout success story is Catizen, a Web3 pet game launched on TON. Within just two weeks, it attracted more than 1.3 million users, achieved 210,000 daily active players, and processed over 1.7 million on-chain transactions—demonstrating the potential for mass-market blockchain gaming when backed by a massive user base like Telegram’s.

Building Digital Identity: The HumanCode Partnership

Looking ahead, TON is expanding beyond payments and gaming into digital identity verification. In a groundbreaking collaboration, TON Society and AI-driven identity project HumanCode have launched a $5 million incentive program to roll out palm-scan authentication for Telegram users.

This technology allows individuals to verify their humanity—and establish a unique digital identity—using only a smartphone camera and palm scan. The goal? To securely onboard up to 500 million Telegram users onto Web3 services within five years.

Such initiatives position TON not just as a fast, scalable blockchain, but as a foundational layer for trusted digital interaction in the era of AI and decentralized identity.

👉 Explore how blockchain-based identity could redefine online trust and access.

Core Keywords Driving Visibility

To align with search intent and enhance discoverability, this article naturally integrates the following core keywords:

These terms reflect what users are actively searching for—ranging from price updates and technical metrics to ecosystem developments and long-term use cases.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What caused TON’s recent price surge?

TON’s price rise stems from multiple catalysts: deeper integration with Telegram’s ad revenue system, Binance listing perpetual contracts, the launch of a $30 million ecosystem incentive program, and surging user adoption across dApps like Catizen.

How is TON related to Telegram?

TON was originally developed with support from Telegram and remains closely integrated. While now independently governed by the TON Foundation, it serves as the native blockchain for Telegram’s Web3 initiatives, including payments, ads, and digital identity.

Is TON a good investment in 2025?

While past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, TON shows strong fundamentals: real user growth, increasing TVL, strategic partnerships, and alignment with Telegram’s massive user base. These factors make it one of the more compelling mid-cap crypto projects this year.

Can TON reach a $10 billion TVL?

Given current growth rates and the potential to onboard hundreds of millions of Telegram users, reaching $10 billion in TVL is plausible within 3–5 years—if ecosystem development continues at pace and market conditions remain favorable.

What are the risks associated with TON?

Key risks include over-reliance on Telegram’s roadmap, regulatory scrutiny around digital identity initiatives, and competition from other high-performance blockchains like Solana or Sui. However, its unique social integration gives it a differentiated edge.

How does TON compare to Ethereum or Solana?

TON offers faster transaction speeds and lower fees than Ethereum, with seamless mobile integration via Telegram. Compared to Solana, it lacks the same level of institutional DeFi depth but benefits from built-in user access through messaging apps—an advantage few blockchains can match.

👉 Compare blockchain performance metrics and see which networks are leading in scalability and adoption.

Final Thoughts: A New Era for Social-Centric Web3

TON’s ascent into the top 10 cryptocurrencies isn’t just about price—it’s a signal of changing tides in Web3. The era of purely speculative chains may be fading, replaced by ecosystems that deliver real utility to real users.

With Telegram acting as both launchpad and distribution engine, TON has something rare: a ready-made audience of nearly a billion people. Combined with smart incentive design, growing developer momentum, and innovative use cases like palm-scan identity verification, TON is well-positioned to become one of the most impactful blockchains of the decade.

As we move deeper into 2025, all eyes will be on whether TON can convert its early momentum into lasting dominance in the social Web3 arena.