Telegram’s integration of Tether USDT stablecoin and mini-apps will allow for seamless peer-to-peer transactions, as first-time users may encounter crypto without notice.
The stablecoin will also facilitate the launch of e-commerce, paywalled content, games, and other business activities on The Open Network’s (TON) layer-1 blockchain, according to TON Foundation director of investments Justin Hyun, who spoke at the Token2049 conference in Dubai. Additionally, Telegram continues to distribute its TON-based wallet.
According to Hyun, the introduction of Tether on TON “truly unlocks the creator economy that is already occurring in TON and Telegram” by eliminating the need for users to “jump through the barriers of having to acquire a different type of cryptocurrency or token.” His further statement was:
“The most interesting use cases are the ones that engage in social viral mechanics. So there are games that are being created on a daily basis that are powered through Telegram mini-apps.”
These items will be accessible without the need to obtain external applications. The benefits of doing so are evident. For an illustration, Hyun cited the video game Catizen. Upon transitioning from a different blockchain to TON, the developers amassed two million users in just two months instead of 600,000 in the preceding year and a half.
Additional social media platforms exhibit a strong regional focus. Hyun stated, “We have witnessed the emergence of super apps that were unable to penetrate the barriers,” citing WeChat in China, Line in Japan, and KakaoTalk in South Korea as examples.
The native USDT and global reach of TON eliminate the requirement for local payment gateways. Additionally, Tether enables Telegram to bypass the payment limitations imposed by Apple and Google.
Hyun stated that since The Open Network could not conduct an initial coin offering in 2020 due to opposition from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, TON is reverting to its original concept, which was thwarted. In 2021, open-source developers assumed and established control of the TON Foundation.