Telegram’s TON Revives Gram Brand, Cuts Fees in Governance Push

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced on 1 June 2026 that The Open Network is rebranding its native token as Gram. The move revives the original name tied to Telegram's 2018 fundraising effort and coincides with a 75% reduction in on-chain transaction fees. The Block reported the rebrand follows a recent network upgrade and precedes an expected expansion of Telegram’s direct role in TON governance. These changes aim to align the network with its founding vision while accelerating user and developer adoption.

Context — why this matters now

The revival of the Gram brand culminates a multi-year effort to rehabilitate the TON project after its 2020 legal standoff with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. That dispute forced Telegram to abandon its active development role, leading to the network’s reboot by a community-led foundation. The current macro backdrop for crypto remains constructive, with the global crypto market capitalization hovering near $2.6 trillion as of late May 2026. The direct catalyst for the rebrand is TON’s recent successful implementation of a major protocol upgrade, labeled TON v.5. This technical milestone enabled the subsequent fee reduction and provided the operational confidence for Telegram to publicly re-engage with the blockchain’s branding and governance. The timing also precedes a planned increase in Telegram’s voting power within the TON decentralized autonomous organization, allowing the messaging giant to formally steer future network decisions.

Data — what the numbers show

The TON network processed an average of 5.8 million transactions daily in the week preceding the announcement, a 40% increase year-over-year. The native token’s price reacted positively to the news, rising 18% to $9.25 within 24 hours of Durov’s statement. This lifted TON’s total market capitalization to approximately $32.1 billion, ranking it as the ninth-largest digital asset. The newly implemented 75% fee reduction drops the cost of a standard transfer to roughly $0.06, down from $0.24. This positions TON’s transaction costs significantly below Ethereum’s average layer-1 fee of $1.85 but above Solana’s sub-$0.01 average. Network staking metrics show 4.2 billion Grams are currently staked, representing about 63% of the circulating supply and generating an estimated annual yield of 6.8% for validators.

Metric	Pre-Rebrand (Late May)	Post-Announcement (1 June)	Change
Avg. Transaction Fee	$0.24	$0.06	-75%
TON Token Price	$7.84	$9.25	+18%
Daily Transactions	4.1 million	5.8 million	+40%

Analysis — what it means for markets / sectors / tickers

The Gram rebrand strengthens Telegram's implicit endorsement, likely boosting adoption of its integrated Web3 wallet and services. This directly benefits ecosystem projects like the TON-based decentralized exchange STON.fi, whose governance token could see increased utility demand. Broader crypto sectors tied to social-fi and gaming may see accelerated development interest, as Telegram’s 900 million monthly active users represent a massive potential onboarding funnel. A primary risk involves regulatory scrutiny, as the revived Gram name may recall the SEC’s previous litigation and invite fresh attention from U.S. watchdogs. Market positioning data from major exchanges shows a notable increase in Gram perpetual futures open interest, up 220% in the past week, with funding rates turning positive, indicating leveraged long positioning. Concurrently, capital inflows into TON-centric investment products tracked by Fazen Markets rose by $47 million over the same period.

Outlook — what to watch next

The immediate catalyst is the formal expansion of Telegram’s voting power within the TON DAO, expected to be finalized by 15 June 2026. Traders will monitor whether Gram can hold above the $8.50 support level, a previous resistance zone now turned support, and challenge its all-time high near $9.80. The next major technical upgrade, TON v.6, is slated for a testnet deployment in Q3 2026, with features focused on improving scalability for mini-apps. A key metric to watch is the growth of daily active addresses on TON, which currently stands at 850,000; sustained movement above 1 million would signal successful user conversion from Telegram’s base. The network’s total value locked, presently at $1.1 billion, is another critical barometer for DeFi growth following the fee reduction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Gram rebrand mean for retail investors?

The rebrand itself does not alter the token's fundamental utility, but it signals stronger alignment with Telegram's strategic vision. Retail investors should note the associated 75% fee cut, which lowers the cost of using TON for payments and interacting with decentralized applications. This could improve network activity metrics over time, a key driver for token valuation. The change may also introduce brand recognition volatility as markets reassociate the asset with its controversial 2018 origins.

How does TON's fee reduction compare to other blockchains?

TON's new average fee of $0.06 places it in a competitive middle tier for transaction cost. It remains more expensive than high-throughput chains like Solana ($0.0025) and Near ($0.01) but is drastically cheaper than Ethereum's base layer ($1.85). The reduction is more impactful than typical periodic adjustments on other networks because it is paired with a major branding shift and governance evolution, aiming to drive adoption rather than just optimize existing users.

What was the original Gram project that faced SEC action?

In 2018, Telegram raised $1.7 billion from private investors through a simple agreement for future tokens (SAFT) to fund development of the Telegram Open Network and its Gram token. The SEC filed an emergency action in October 2019, alleging the offering was an unregistered securities sale. A U.S. court granted a preliminary injunction in March 2020, leading Telegram to return most funds and officially halt the project. The current TON blockchain is a community-forked continuation that has operated independently since 2020.

Bottom Line

The Gram rebrand formally re-anchors TON’s future to Telegram’s strategic roadmap, converting a massive user base into the network's primary catalyst.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. CFD trading carries high risk of capital loss.