Why is Toncoin up today? Durov puts Telegram in charge

Telegram founder Pavel Durov said on May 4, 2026, that Telegram will replace the TON Foundation as the main force behind The Open Network. 

He also said Telegram will become TON’s largest validator. Durov linked the move to lower network fees and a stronger technical roadmap. He wrote: 

“Fees in TON have dropped 6× — to nearly zero.” He added that Telegram would shift TON’s focus to “tech superiority.”

Durov said TON should receive a new website, new developer tools and performance upgrades within “2-3 weeks.” That places the expected changes in late May 2026, based on the May 4 announcement.

The details remain limited. Telegram has not yet explained how its validator role will work. It has also not disclosed its planned validator stake or how the TON Foundation’s role will change after the shift.

Toncoin rallies after the announcement

Toncoin (TON) moved higher after Durov’s comments. TON climbed from about $1.35 to nearly $1.80 after the announcement, placing it among the top 25 crypto assets during the rally.

Crypto.news data showed TON trading near $1.82 at press time, with a 28.10% gain over 24 hours. The token also posted about $632.75 million in daily trading volume and a market cap near $4.8 billion.

Telegram links deepen around TON

The latest move follows Telegram’s wider push into TON-based products. As highlighted in our February 20, 2026 article, TON has used Telegram’s wallet, digital gifts and social NFT tools to support consumer use across the messaging app.

That report also said TON’s approach focuses on Telegram’s reach instead of only technical features. It noted that TON gives developers access to Telegram’s large user base through wallet features, payments, gifts and asset transfers.

As featured in our April coverage, Wallet in Telegram also added perpetual contract trading across metals, stocks, oil and crypto. The product used Lighter’s infrastructure and offered more than 50 markets inside Telegram.