Once people see what’s already possible in Telegram, everything changes, says Martin Masser, Head of Growth at the TON Foundation.
The Open Network (TON) has rapidly evolved from an experimental blockchain project into a growing ecosystem embedded within Telegram. With integrated wallets, payments, and mini apps, TON’s daily activity has surged, making it one of the few Layer-1 networks tied directly to a mainstream platform.
At the center of this expansion is Masser, who explains how TON is leveraging Telegram’s global audience to onboard the next generation of crypto users. “Whenever I do talks, I ask the audience who’s on Telegram, and every hand goes up,” he says. “It’s powerful — you already have this enormous, active user base that spends time there every day.”
For Masser, the appeal is clear: “So from that perspective, it’s the logical blockchain for Telegram. The way TON is built — with sharding and scalability in mind — fits perfectly. You use Telegram? Great. TON is the blockchain that Telegram has chosen, and it’s integrated everywhere.”
What’s missing, he notes, is awareness. Many users don’t realize the ecosystem is already live. Once they discover it, they’re amazed at how much they can do inside Telegram without leaving the app — from seamless payments and NFTs to casual blockchain gaming and mini apps.
In the following interview, Masser dives into TON’s unique advantages, developer opportunities, and creative initiatives, including the Sera Space Program, a first-of-its-kind community-driven space mission accessible through Telegram.