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Toncoin Price Surges 32% in 24 Hours as Pavel Durov Pushes Telegram Into the TON Ecosystem
The price of Toncoin surged 32% to $2.89, marking a 110% increase since Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced a major strategic shift and a sixfold reduction in network fees.
Key Points
- Pavel Durov announced that Telegram will replace the TON Foundation as the network’s largest validator.
- As of May 7, 2026, Toncoin surged 32% to $2.89, while its market capitalization reached $7.6 billion, surpassing Chainlink.
- Integration with hundreds of millions of users and the Clarity Act could lead to supply lockups driven by staking yields exceeding 20% annually.
“Regime Change”: Bringing TON Back Under Direct Control
The native token of The Open Network, Toncoin, climbed to $2.89, soaring nearly 32% within 24 hours. The rally extended gains that began shortly after Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, announced a sixfold reduction in fees and a major strategic pivot for the network.
Although the rally was substantial, the rise of Toncoin was not linear; the price fluctuated shortly after first breaking above the $2.50 level.
Market data shows that Toncoin dropped 12% shortly after reaching $2.53, remaining below that level until Wednesday evening. During the second rally, TON rose from $2.45 at 9:20 PM ET on May 6 to $2.89 at 3:09 AM ET on May 7, marking its highest level since October 7, 2025.
The rally followed what industry analysts, including Elliotrades, described as a “regime change” for the blockchain. Since legal disputes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission forced Telegram to distance itself from the project several years ago, Toncoin had been managed independently by the TON Foundation.
Durov’s recent announcement that Telegram would replace the foundation as the network’s largest validator effectively “brings the chain back into the building,” transforming TON from merely an ecosystem partner into Telegram’s core economic channel.
In a post on X explaining the move, Durov said:
“The fact that Telegram is becoming the largest validator of TON strengthens decentralization. It allows other major players to join the validator pool without centralizing the network — with Telegram acting as a counterbalance. More and more TON is being locked into validation as everyone competes for annual staking yields exceeding 20%.”
According to Elliotrades, the move resolves a long-standing “bearish issue” related to the lack of alignment between the messenger platform and the blockchain. By taking direct responsibility for the network, Telegram is leveraging its massive distribution network of hundreds of millions of users.
The analyst also noted that the timing of this shift may be linked to the Clarity Act, suggesting that the legislation could provide the regulatory flexibility needed for such integration.
Meanwhile, the latest jump in Toncoin means the token has risen by more than 110% since Durov announced the fee reduction and validator transition.
This price surge pushed TON’s market capitalization to $7.6 billion, allowing it to briefly enter the top 20 digital assets and surpass Chainlink.
See also: "Bitcoin Falls Below $81K Amid Iran Tensions and Strategy Sales"
