This year, Toncoin has surged 3.5 times to $8, overtaking Dogecoin and securing the eighth spot in the overall cryptocurrency rankings. Unlike meme coins, which became the fastest-growing group in the first half of the year, TON’s growth is backed by objective metrics.
TVL Growth
The total value locked (TVL) in TON’s decentralized finance sector has increased 53 times since January to $743 million, with daily trading volumes sometimes exceeding $1 billion. In comparison, Ethereum’s TVL (the sector leader) grew 1.9 times over the same period, with daily turnover not exceeding $5 billion.
Telegram’s Audience Growth
After SEC’s concerns, Pavel Durov handed over the project to the crypto community. However, the connection between Telegram and TON remains very strong. Channel owners are rewarded, and advertising payments are made in TON. Therefore, the success of the messenger directly influences the cryptocurrency’s turnover and capitalization.
Telegram’s audience grows by several hundred million active users each year and is expected to exceed 1 billion this year. The TON network has already surpassed Ethereum in network activity.
Going Public
In the next two years, Pavel Durov plans to take the company public in the US. This event will draw significant attention to the messenger, which is still underrepresented in the Global North. Preliminary estimates by analytical companies value the social network at $30 billion. However, successful advancement in the West along with the IPO could significantly increase its capitalization.
Gaming Frenzy
This year, the messenger has been taken over by a gaming frenzy. First, the game Notcoin attracted 35 million active users, and now Hamster Kombat surpasses it with 150 million. These games require no investments, and earning in-game currency involves just clicking on the screen. Before listing, the currency can only be exchanged for TON in the pre-market. After listing, it can be converted to fiat on crypto exchanges.
Game developers earn revenue from ads. Hamster Kombat has 49 million Telegram subscribers, 32 million on YouTube, and 11 million on Twitter. Part of this revenue forms the basis of future user rewards.
Conclusion
Telegram shows strong results in both user base expansion and monetization. It may achieve self-sustainability this year, and further expansion is likely to lead to profit growth.
Due to the close connection between the messenger and the cryptocurrency, these positive trends will lead to TON’s growth in the long term.
