Once people see what you can already do inside Telegram, everything changes.
That’s the message from Martin Masser, the Head of Growth at the TON Foundation.
Over the past year, The Open Network (TON) has gone from a small blockchain experiment to a fast-growing ecosystem that lives inside Telegram. With built-in wallets, easy payments, mini apps, games, and NFTs, TON’s activity has exploded — and it’s one of the only blockchains sitting directly inside a huge mainstream app.
Masser has been at the center of this momentum. He says the biggest advantage TON has is simple: Telegram already has the world.
“When I give talks, I ask how many people use Telegram,” he says. “Every single hand goes up. That tells you everything. People aren’t just installing Telegram — they’re using it every day.”
And that’s why TON fits so well.
“Telegram chose TON as its blockchain,” Masser explains. “TON was built for speed, scale, and sharding. It makes sense. If you already use Telegram, you’re basically one step away from using TON.”
But there’s one big challenge: most people don’t realize these features are already live.
Once they do, they’re shocked by how much they can do without ever leaving Telegram — sending money, playing games, minting NFTs, joining mini apps, and even taking part in huge community projects.
Mini Apps, Gaming, and What People Can Do Right Now
When asked about his favorite TON apps, Masser laughs — the Foundation tries not to “pick winners.” But he mentions a few examples.
If you like gaming, Telegram already has a growing lineup:
- Goat Gaming
- Dropy
- TON Battlegrounds, a first-person shooter that loads right inside the app
- Sixers Cricket, which looks and feels like a polished mobile game
These games run instantly. No downloads. No complicated wallet setups. Just tap and play.
He says that’s the big breakthrough.
Old blockchain games made you connect a wallet, sign transactions, and jump through hoops before you could even start. Most people quit before playing.
With TON inside Telegram, it’s one click — and you’re in.
Developers are also experimenting with digital collectibles, using NFTs to unlock new levels, special skins, and in-game perks. It’s like the old Facebook era of quick, casual gaming — but now with real ownership and real digital items.
Why Build Games or Apps on TON Instead of Facebook or Web2?
Masser says the real value isn’t putting every tiny in-game action on the blockchain. That’s unnecessary.
The value comes from using NFTs and digital items in a way that matters.
People already love stickers, badges, and collectibles.
Now those items can unlock content, give bonuses, or carry value across apps. Teams like Sappy Seals are doing this well — your collectible might give you special benefits across different games or chats.
Sports fans will soon see this too. Platforms like Score Suite are launching licensed sports stickers, letting fans collect digital cards of their favorite players and use them inside Telegram.
This is where gaming and community meet real utility.
The Most Useful Feature People Don’t Know About: Payments
One of the strongest use cases is also the simplest: sending money through Telegram.
You can send USDT or TON in a chat the same way you’d send a photo.
“I can message someone right now, type ‘@push 1 USDT,’ and instantly send them a dollar,” Masser says.
People use it for:
- splitting bills
- sending money across borders
- quick payments between friends
- simple transfers when bank apps fail
He mentioned a story of two people in New York who couldn’t get their banking apps to work — but Telegram and USDT worked instantly.
To receive crypto, Telegram automatically creates a wallet for you. After that, you can:
- send and receive crypto
- hold NFTs
- stake tokens
- use mini apps
No complicated setup. No long tutorials.
Why Developers Love Building on TON
Masser says developers reach out through Telegram — because that’s where their communities already are.
So building a mini app inside Telegram means:
- instant reach
- instant distribution
- instant word-of-mouth growth
When someone drops a mini app link in a group chat, everyone can open it immediately. That’s why Masser says around 90% of growth comes through referrals.
There are challenges, of course.
TON needs better documentation, more tutorials, and smoother onboarding for new builders. The Foundation is working on that.
But the biggest challenge is still awareness.
Everyone uses Telegram — but most people don’t know they’ve already been using TON-powered mini apps like Hamster Kombat.
Once people realize this, things click. Once developers realize it, growth accelerates — just like the wave that followed Notcoin.
Telegram as a Super App?
Masser doesn’t speak for Telegram, since TON and Telegram are separate.
But he says the Telegram team works incredibly fast and constantly improves the app.
Still, the point is simple: both platforms are growing in ways that naturally complement each other. And that creates a huge opportunity.
What’s Next: Gifts, Creators, and a Growing Digital Economy
One of the most exciting areas is Telegram Gifts.
They’re turning into a real digital economy with marketplaces like:
- TON Market
- TON Portal
People can buy, sell, and even rent collectibles. Developers are already building games and features around them.
Masser compares this moment to the early iPhone days — the real wave of innovation came a bit later, when builders created apps that could only exist because the iPhone existed.
He believes TON + Telegram are at that same turning point.
Telegram creators — journalists, influencers, analysts — can now earn directly through:
- Stars
- digital gifts
- paid messages
- NFT-gated channels
- collectible drops
It finally gives smaller creators real earning power without needing millions of followers.
NFT 2.0 also unlocks automatic royalties, meaning creators earn every time their stickers or collectibles are traded. That keeps projects alive far longer and rewards creators directly.
A Space Mission for the World: The Sera Space Program
Masser highlights one project he’s especially excited about: The Sera Space Program.
TON is giving community members the chance to take part in a real space mission. Six seats on Blue Origin will go to everyday people — especially from countries that rarely get representation in space programs.
To compare: Justin Sun reportedly paid $28 million for one Blue Origin seat.
Here, regular users will be voted in through on-chain voting inside Telegram.
Communities are already forming around candidates. Fans, groups, and even sports clubs could help someone win a seat — and maybe take their country’s flag into space.
It’s global, inclusive, and participatory — exactly what TON and Telegram make possible.
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