Toncoin (TON) gained vital consideration in 2024 when the tap-to-earn development grew to become fashionable. Nonetheless, the momentum has diminished since then. Regardless of this, Tracy Jin, the Chief Working Officer at MEXC, one of many main international cryptocurrency exchanges, envisions TON turning into the primary on a regular basis blockchain by 2027.
Moreover, she means that TON’s development trajectory might probably rival Solana’s (SOL). In an unique interview, Jin shared what differentiates TON from Ethereum (ETH) and Solana and what’s subsequent for the ecosystem’s future.
How Faucet-to-Earn Pattern Boosted Toncoin (TON) However Uncovered Key Weaknesses
Faucet-to-earn gaming was one in all 2024’s main crypto narratives, with the messaging platform Telegram remodeling right into a central hub for these video games. Talking to BeInCrypto, Jin acknowledged that the tap-to-earn development had each optimistic and detrimental impacts on TON.
The development fueled adoption and put TON into the highlight. Nonetheless, the rise proved to be unsustainable.
“The faucet-to-earn wave of 2024 was a double-edged sword. It accelerated person onboarding but additionally uncovered the constraints of attention-based fashions in sustaining long-term engagement,” Jin stated.
She believes that for TON to regain momentum, the subsequent part must deal with extra than simply gamified parts. Notably, Jin revealed that the foundational parts are already in place.
She commented that there are early indications of a shift towards use circumstances pushed by utility, particularly in areas akin to Telegram-integrated funds, mini-apps, and offering funding for critical builders throughout the ecosystem. In response to her, the subsequent steps contain enhancing real-world integration and providing higher help for builders.
The COO additionally pressured that Telegram, as TON’s native person acquisition engine, distinguishes it from different networks and will additional drive its enlargement.
What Makes TON Totally different from Ethereum and Solana
Jin emphasised that TON’s development technique lies in an area that almost all Layer-1s wrestle to achieve: integrating inside a local, on a regular basis interface.
She underlined that Ethereum is the cornerstone for good contracts, and Solana has established itself as a high-performance different for DeFi and shopper functions. In distinction, TON is concentrating on person adoption.
“TON is betting on a totally totally different future — one which’s already unfolding inside Telegram. With over 900 million customers globally, Telegram is the most important lively social layer in crypto — and TON is the one blockchain natively embedded into it. This isn’t nearly constructing dApps: it’s about making Web3 disappear into the UX in the absolute best means,” she said.
She identified that, at current, widespread use stays a problem for a lot of blockchains. The chief cited Ethereum’s wrestle to realize mass adoption regardless of years of improvement for example.
Jin added that TON is simplifying this by providing acquainted instruments, like Telegram Pockets, to its customers. These instruments allow crypto utilization inside chats, video games, and P2P experiences.
Moreover, TON supplies a simple person expertise by abstracting away widespread friction factors like fuel charges and personal key storage, making it simpler for individuals to interact with crypto.
Mini-apps built-in into Telegram, like Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, and Catizen, are additionally successfully onboarding hundreds of thousands of customers, usually with out them realizing they’re utilizing blockchain.
Whereas Ethereum and different networks face challenges with complexity, TON is making crypto accessible with minimal obstacles.
“If it succeeds in absolutely executing this integration, the excessive barrier to entry, which crypto is famously recognized for, might be considerably diminished — particularly for mainstream customers. It’s not about throughput or TPS; it’s about context, comfort, and tradition. TON is constructing the place customers already are, and that might be a game-changer,” Jin talked about to BeInCrypto.
Furthermore, Jin drew consideration to the truth that Telegram’s 900 million crypto-curious customers give TON a major benefit in turning the platform right into a crypto-native tremendous app. She forecasted that TON is well-positioned to onboard the subsequent 100 million retail customers, rivaling Solana’s development.
Nonetheless, its success nonetheless relies on infrastructure improvement and dealing with regulatory challenges.
Way forward for Toncoin (TON)
In the meantime, the MEXC government additionally shared TON’s notable milestones, highlighting robust person enrollment. She disclosed that greater than 150 million accounts have been created on TON.
The community information a median of two million transactions per day. Furthermore, there are round 2 million lively month-to-month wallets.
Actually, TON has additionally emerged as a well-liked selection for non-fungible token (NFT) buying and selling, largely pushed by the Telegram Items Market.
“Telegram Collectible Items went up in worth a number of occasions prior to now 30 days. TON is now the #1 blockchain by each day NFT buying and selling quantity (or #2 after Ethereum if off-chain trades should not counted),” Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, posted on X.
Whereas these are stable benchmarks, Jin said that they don’t make TON the preferred blockchain ecosystem, no less than not but. She predicted that if present adoption continues, the community might attain over 2.6 million each day lively customers in 2026 and surpass 10 million by 2027.
“By 2027, Ethereum should lead DeFi. Solana might dominate on-chain liquidity and buying and selling. But when TON continues its present path, it is going to personal one thing else totally: the on a regular basis layer of the web. A blockchain individuals use with out desirous about it — as a result of it’s already there, contained in the apps they by no means shut,” the manager advised BeInCrypto.
Jin additionally gave her forecast for TON’s worth, which has declined 53.1% over the previous 12 months. BeInCrypto knowledge confirmed that the altcoin traded at $3.2 at press time, down 61.0% from its all-time excessive of $8.2.
Toncoin Value Efficiency. Supply: BeInCrypto
Nonetheless, Jin believes that reclaiming and even going above this report excessive would possibly occur within the coming years.
“Crossing the $10 mark within the subsequent 5–10 years is believable, however it nonetheless relies upon closely on broader market cycles, regulatory readability, and community sustainability,” she predicted.
She defined that worth predictions needs to be primarily based on fundamentals. Nonetheless, if TON continues to increase its utility layer, attracts extra builders, deepens Telegram integration, and positive aspects wider service provider adoption, a valuation within the tens of billions of {dollars} wouldn’t be unrealistic.
