Gram Rebrands TON as Telegram Assumes Validator Role

• Gram, the native token of The Open Network (TON), was officially rebranded following an 81.22% community governance vote on June 15, 2026, reverting to its original 2018 identity.
• Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced the change as part of the "Make TON Great Again (MTONGA)" initiative to deepen ecosystem integration.
• The network recorded a 13% price surge to $2.26 immediately following the announcement, reflecting strong market sentiment toward the strategic pivot .
• Telegram officially became the network's largest validator in April 2026, replacing the TON Foundation as the primary operational steward .
• Catchain 2.0 upgrades in April 2026 reduced transaction fees to approximately $0.0005 and achieved sub-second finality for high-frequency transactions .

The rebranding marks a definitive return to the project's foundational branding while maintaining unchanged tokenomics and contract addresses . The transition will be executed over a three-week period across wallets and exchanges, requiring coordination from developers and platform operators . Market participants interpret the shift as a bullish signal, driven by Telegram's expanded operational involvement and the narrative strength of the MTONGA initiative .

How Has the Network Performance Changed Under Telegram's Stewardship?

Telegram's assumption of the largest validator role signals a major operational shift for the decentralized network . This transition resolves a six-year hiatus that began when the SEC forced the original Telegram Open Network project to abandon its initial plans in 2020 . Under the current regime, the network has implemented significant technical upgrades to enhance scalability and user experience .

The April 2026 Catchain 2.0 upgrade reduced block times to approximately 400 milliseconds and lowered average transaction fees to roughly $0.0005 . These metrics make Gram economically viable for micropayments and high-frequency in-app transactions . The network utilizes an "Infinite Sharding Paradigm" that distributes processing across Masterchain, Workchains, and Shardchains .

This multi-chain architecture allows parallel transaction processing, enabling horizontal scaling without exponential increases in validator resources . The TON Virtual Machine (TVM) is optimized for this asynchronous message-based execution model . These technical improvements support the deployment of consumer-scale applications that leverage Telegram's 900 million monthly active users .

What Are the Primary Risks and Ecosystem Developments for Gram?

Despite its scale, the network faces ongoing risks regarding validator centralization and regulatory scrutiny . The Nakamoto coefficient, a measure of decentralization, is currently reported at just 2 . This low number indicates a high degree of reliance on a small number of validators for network security .

The ecosystem also includes a native, non-custodial Gram wallet planned for rollout across Telegram applications in July 2026 . DeFi protocols such as STON.fi facilitate decentralized exchange activities, while various lending platforms support broader financial services . Gram is positioned as the principal non-fiat payment asset for Telegram services, driving adoption through deep integration with Mini Apps .

Inflation from validator rewards partially offsets fee burning, presenting a dynamic economic model for long-term holders . The network continues to navigate regulatory sensitivity stemming from its historical conflicts with the SEC . Investors monitor these factors closely as the token transitions to the Gram brand across global markets . - TON retains its network name while the native token shifts to Gram over a three-week period . - Telegram operates as a major validator, ensuring operational continuity and technical oversight . - The Catchain 2.0 upgrade established sub-second finality and minimized transaction costs . - Validator centralization remains a critical risk factor with a Nakamoto coefficient of 2 . - The rebranding aligns with Telegram's strategy to dominate the consumer blockchain space .