TON Foundation Offers UAE Golden Visa for $100,000 Toncoin Stake, UAE Authorities Refute Claims

The TON Foundation has introduced a groundbreaking initiative that offers a 10-year UAE Golden Visa to investors who stake $100,000 in Toncoin for a period of three years. This program, announced by CEO Max Crown, represents a significant shift in the traditional pathways to residency, leveraging blockchain technology to attract overseas investors. The initiative not only provides a pathway to residency but also promises estimated annual yields of 3% to 4% on the staked assets, adding an incentive for crypto investors. The Golden Visa extends coverage to immediate family members, including spouses, children, and parents, at no additional cost beyond standard government fees.

However, the UAE authorities have clarified that the Golden Visa program does not include crypto investors, refuting claims about TON-linked residency. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) issued a joint statement confirming that digital currency investments are governed by specific regulations and are unrelated to Golden Visa eligibility. They urged investors to obtain information from credible, official sources to avoid misinformation or fraud. VARA also clarified that the company TON is neither licensed nor regulated by VARA.

The TON Foundation's program was initially met with enthusiasm, as it offered a significantly lower entry point compared to conventional UAE Golden Visa routes, which usually demand a minimum $540,000 investment in illiquid assets. The program suggested just $100,000 in staked TON, making it an attractive option for many investors. The entry cost is 5x lower than an equivalent real estate or fixed deposit investment, which would certainly attract the attention of high-net-worth individuals considering TON as an option.

Despite the initial excitement, some have raised doubts about the legitimacy of TON’s Golden Visa program, noting that it is not an official partnership with the UAE government. A third-party provider is using TON as a proxy to help their clients obtain a Golden Visa for entrepreneurs, suggesting that any cryptocurrency could have been used for this purpose. The crypto-based residency program comes as the UAE continues to position itself as a primary destination for blockchain and crypto projects. The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) recently approved Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, and Dubai’s crypto regulator updated its guidelines to include provisions for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. These developments give issuers and exchanges a clear path to launch and trade tokenized real estate assets, further cementing the UAE's status as a leader in digital finance. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre free zone has already attracted over 600 crypto companies, with more firms flocking to the Dubai International Financial Centre and One Central district.