hodler

2 Jun 2026, 08:38

Toncoin (TON) Revives ‘Gram’ Token Name in Bold Bid to Own Telegram’s 900M Users

The TON Foundation is rebranding its native token from Toncoin to Gram, reviving the name attached to Telegram’s original 2018 blockchain project and signaling a deliberate push to convert the messaging platform’s 900 million monthly active users into on-chain participants. The change is cosmetic, no token swap, no technical migration, no new asset issuance, but the strategic logic is anything but superficial. The rebrand arrives as Telegram founder Pavel Durov frames the rename as step four of seven in his publicly stated ‘Make TON Great Again’ roadmap, with steps five through seven still undisclosed. The compounding dynamic here is regulatory history. Gram was the name at the center of a landmark SEC enforcement action that forced Telegram to return $1.2 billion to investors in 2020. Reviving that name is a calculated bet that the current TON ecosystem has enough structural distance from that legal episode to reclaim the brand without inheriting its liability. Discover: The Best Crypto to Diversify Your Portfolio Gram’s History: $1.7B ICO, SEC Intervention, and the Rebrand From Toncoin That Brings It Full Circle The transmission mechanism from name change to user acquisition is straightforward: reduce the cognitive gap between Telegram’s brand identity and its native crypto asset. Toncoin meant nothing to a first-time Telegram user. Gram, short, familiar, tied to Telegram’s original vision – does. The historical weight behind that word is significant. Telegram raised approximately $1.7 billion through private token sales tied to Gram in 2018, positioning it as the currency layer for the Telegram Open Network. The SEC intervened in 2019, alleging the offering constituted an unregistered securities sale. Telegram settled in 2020, agreeing to return roughly $1.2 billion to investors and pay an $18.5 million civil penalty, then stepped away from the project entirely. The network survived through open-source development and community stewardship, eventually relaunching as The Open Network under the TON Foundation, with Toncoin as its community-run asset. Source: Pavel Durov Official Telegram Channel Now, with Telegram intending to become the primary ecosystem administrator and largest validator, a governance shift explicitly flagged in the MTONGA roadmap, the ecosystem is reasserting its original identity while structurally differentiating itself from the entity that faced SEC enforcement. The rebrand rolls out over approximately three weeks across wallets, infrastructure providers, and ecosystem applications. User balances, staking positions, and network operations remain unchanged throughout. 900 Million Users as Addressable Market: What the Gram Rebrand Actually Unlocks Telegram’s monthly active user base is one of the largest untapped crypto distribution channels. The structural opportunity is not speculative; it is conditional on conversion rates. If the TON ecosystem converts even 1% of Telegram’s active base into regular Gram wallet users, that is 9 million participants, a figure that rivals the active user counts of several top-ten blockchain networks. 24h 7d 30d 1y All time The friction point has always been brand coherence. Telegram users encounter TON Space wallet, mini-apps, and bot-based payment tools that reference a token called Toncoin with the ticker TON, a label that carries no intuitive connection to the Telegram product they already use daily. Gram closes that gap. The analogy to WeChat Pay’s embedded finance model is instructive: WeChat did not ask users to understand digital payments architecture; it made transacting feel native to the messaging interface. Gram positions The Open Network to pursue an equivalent integration depth inside Telegram’s super-app environment, covering payments, gaming, stablecoins, and mini-app monetization. Market participants responded immediately. Toncoin surged 19% following the announcement, reaching approximately $2.21 in early trading before retracing toward $2.00. Discover: The Best Token Presales The post Toncoin (TON) Revives ‘Gram’ Token Name in Bold Bid to Own Telegram’s 900M Users appeared first on Cryptonews .

2 Jun 2026, 05:35

TON Holders Back Gram Rebrand as Price Climbs 5%

The rebrand received strong community support, with nearly 80% of pledged voting power backing the change. Telegram founder Pavel Durov said the move is a return to the project’s roots and will not require any token swaps or technical changes. TON Revives Original Gram Name The Open Network (TON) is preparing for one of the biggest branding changes in its history, with plans to rename its native cryptocurrency from Toncoin (TON) back to Gram (GRAM), which is the name that was originally outlined in Telegram’s first white paper. The proposal is currently being voted on by the community, and has already received overwhelming support, with nearly 80% of pledged voting power backing the rebrand. Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced the move as a return to the project’s origins, and stated that Gram was the original name of the network’s currency before regulatory challenges forced a major shift in the project’s direction. The name was abandoned after the US Securities and Exchange Commission halted Telegram’s $1.7 billion token sale in 2020, leading Telegram to step away from the project and allowing the community-driven TON Foundation to continue development independently. Telegram post by Pavel Durov According to Durov, the transition to Gram is expected to take approximately three weeks and will not require any action from token holders. The Open Network explained that there will be no token swap, migration, bridge, claim process, or conversion event. Wallet addresses, balances, smart contracts, and network positions will remain unchanged. This means that the rebrand is purely a naming update rather than a technical overhaul. The announcement was made shortly after Telegram assumed a more prominent role in the ecosystem, becoming the network’s primary driver and largest validator. The rebrand is also part of the “Make TON Great Again” roadmap, which already included major network improvements like Catchain upgrades designed to increase throughput, lower transaction fees, and deeper integration with Telegram’s ecosystem. TON plans to transform Telegram’s billion-user messaging platform into a Web3-powered super app capable of supporting payments, digital ownership, mini-applications, AI agents, and decentralized services. Supporters believe the Gram brand better reflects the project’s original vision and could help strengthen its identity as it enters this next phase of development. TON’s price action over the past 24 hours (Source: CoinCodex) Traders responded positively to the news. Over the past 24 hours, Toncoin climbed by approximately 5% , rising to around $2.06. The token experienced a sharp rally surging from the $1.93 range to above $2.20 before consolidating. Although some profit-taking followed the spike, TON managed to hold on to a portion of its gains.

2 Jun 2026, 04:53

TON jumps 15% as The Open Network plans rebrand to Gram

Telegram founder Pavel Durov says it is “returning to our roots — and starting a new chapter” by rebranding Toncoin to Gram.

1 Jun 2026, 16:56

TON rallies after Pavel Durov announces Toncoin rebrand to Gram

The Telegram founder said Gram was the original name for TON’s currency in the network's first white paper.

1 Jun 2026, 16:10

Telegram Founder Durov Announces Plan to Rebrand TON as GRAM

BitcoinWorld Telegram Founder Durov Announces Plan to Rebrand TON as GRAM Telegram founder Pavel Durov has reportedly announced plans to rebrand the platform’s native cryptocurrency, TON (The Open Network), under the name GRAM. The news was first circulated by the cryptocurrency-focused news account Zoomer, citing Durov’s statement. Background of the Rebranding The TON blockchain was originally developed by Telegram but faced significant regulatory hurdles, particularly from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which led to Telegram abandoning the project in 2020. The network was later revived and maintained by an independent community of developers. The rebranding to GRAM revives a name previously associated with Telegram’s original token design, which was also called GRAM before the project’s legal battles began. What the Announcement Means According to the report, Durov’s decision to revert to the GRAM name signals a renewed strategic focus on the token’s utility within the Telegram ecosystem. While specific details of the rebranding timeline and technical implementation have not been disclosed, the move is expected to align the token more closely with Telegram’s messaging platform, potentially enabling new features such as in-app payments, content monetization, and decentralized services. Market and Community Reaction The cryptocurrency market has reacted with cautious optimism. The TON token experienced a moderate price increase following the announcement, though volatility remains high. Community members have expressed mixed feelings: some view the rebranding as a positive step toward mainstream adoption, while others question the legal and regulatory implications of reintroducing a name that was previously contested by regulators. Conclusion The rebranding of TON to GRAM represents a significant strategic pivot for Telegram’s blockchain ambitions. While the announcement is still developing and lacks official confirmation from Telegram’s core team, it underscores Durov’s continued interest in integrating cryptocurrency functionality into the messaging platform. Readers should monitor official channels for verified updates and further details on the transition. FAQs Q1: Why is Telegram rebranding TON to GRAM? The rebranding reportedly aims to align the token more closely with Telegram’s original vision for a digital currency called GRAM, which was shelved after SEC intervention. The move may also simplify branding and improve user recognition. Q2: Will the rebranding affect the value of TON tokens? Initial market reactions have been positive, but the long-term impact will depend on the successful implementation of the rebranding, regulatory clarity, and adoption within the Telegram ecosystem. Token holders should remain cautious. Q3: Is the rebranding confirmed by Telegram? As of now, the announcement has been reported by the cryptocurrency news account Zoomer, citing Pavel Durov. Official confirmation from Telegram or the TON Foundation has not yet been issued. Readers should treat the news as unconfirmed until verified by primary sources. This post Telegram Founder Durov Announces Plan to Rebrand TON as GRAM first appeared on BitcoinWorld .