TON (The Open Network)
TON is a high-performance, fully decentralized Layer-1 blockchain designed for mass adoption. It was originally developed by Telegram but is now maintained by an open community.
Key Characteristics
- High Scalability: Can process millions of transactions per second
- Sharding: Automatically splits and merges blockchains when needed
- TON Virtual Machine: Executes smart contracts efficiently
- Proof-of-Stake: Energy-efficient consensus mechanism
- Native Proxy Support: Built-in network anonymization
TON has gained traction through its integration with the Telegram messenger app, which exposes its ecosystem to hundreds of millions of users.
Core Technology
- TON Blockchain: Multi-blockchain system with dynamic sharding
- Masterchain: Coordinates the system and validates the shardchains
- FunC Language: For developing smart contracts on TON
- TON Storage: Decentralized file storage solution
- TON Sites: Decentralized websites and services
Key Features
- TON Payments: High-throughput payment channels
- Telegram Integration: Deep integration with Telegram messenger
- Domain Naming: Memorable human-readable addresses
- TON DNS: Domain name system for blockchain resources
- Validators: Network participants who secure the network and process transactions
Ecosystem
- Toncoin (TON): Native cryptocurrency of The Open Network
- Jettons: TON's equivalent of ERC-20 tokens
- NFTs: Supported through TON's NFT standard
- TON Diamonds: Services for Telegram Premium users
- Fragment: Marketplace for Telegram usernames
Advanced
Address Examples
- Standard Wallet:
UQBvW8Jnk5qPPJJ6XyJSMhxCmJcRKpLVLufBGRGiHQZp0bV1 - Smart Contract:
EQAIo7CGvL5KiaHYcogT1wF2O9aIWQ4EDHrFNWL4TGRYKKvI - Telegram Wallet:
EQBYTuYbLf8INxFi-WTve1JNvYxNfJjG0G3XTJU4mUFQUzQ6
Block Explorer
Key People
- Pavel Durov: Telegram founder who initially backed TON development
- Nikolai Durov: Founder of Telegram and primary architect of TON blockchain
- TON Validators: Decentralized group maintaining the network
- TON Foundation: Non-profit organization supporting TON development
- TON Community: Users, developers and contributors advancing the ecosystem