Toncoin Rebrands to ‘Gram’ as Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Eyes a New Era for TON
Toncoin (TON) experienced a significant bullish surge this Monday, jumping 11% to break above the $2.30 mark following a major announcement from Telegram founder Pavel Durov. The rally was sparked by the news that the network’s native token will be renamed "Gram" over the next three weeks, signaling a symbolic return to the project’s original vision and roots.
A Return to Roots: The ‘Make TON Great Again’ Roadmap
Pavel Durov framed the rebranding as a pivotal moment in the network's evolution, describing it as the fourth step in his seven-step "Make TON Great Again" roadmap. The name "Gram" holds historical significance for the ecosystem, as it was the original designation used in the project’s initial whitepaper. While the blockchain itself will remain "TON," the native currency will transition to the GRAM ticker. Durov reassured the community that the three-week transition will be entirely seamless; holders, validators, and DeFi integrations will not need to take any manual action, as existing balances will update automatically across exchanges and wallets.
Overcoming Legal Shadows and Technical Milestones
The revival of the "Gram" label is particularly notable given its history with US regulators. Telegram originally raised $1.7 billion for Gram tokens in 2018, but the launch was halted by the SEC in 2019. After a 2020 settlement that required Telegram to return $1.2 billion to investors and pay a multi-million dollar penalty, the project has since been revitalized. Today, the network is achieving new technical heights, including the rollout of Catchain 2.0, which enables sub-second block finality. Telegram has also taken a more active role in the ecosystem, becoming its largest validator with millions of tokens staked via its own messaging infrastructure.
Market Reaction and Future Outlook
The market responded with immediate optimism to the news, pushing TON to a monthly gain of approximately 56%. Despite the recent rally and the excitement surrounding the rebranding, the token still trades at a significant discount from its historical peak, remaining roughly 75% below its all-time high of $8.25. As the community awaits the final three steps of Durov’s undisclosed roadmap, the shift to "Gram" appears to have successfully reignited investor interest in the Telegram-linked blockchain.
