The Open Network (TON) – the decentralized future of blockchain

In this article, we will take a detailed look at what The Open Network (TON) is, how it works, what technologies it uses, and why its ecosystem is becoming increasingly popular.

​The Open Network (TON) — is a decentralized blockchain platform developed for creating and using secure applications with built-in anonymity tools such as proxy servers and anonymizers. TON provides various services, including messaging, payment operations using the Toncoin cryptocurrency, data storage, and an operating system for distributed applications. ​

Project History

The project was initially known as Telegram Open Network and was developed by the Telegram team under the leadership of the Durov brothers. The goal was to create a platform to support the Gram cryptocurrency and integrate with the Telegram messenger, allowing users in countries with strong internet censorship to freely access information resources, bypassing government blocking and tracking systems. ​

However, in May 2020, Pavel Durov announced the closure of the project due to legal disputes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). After that, the domain ton.org and the GitHub repository were transferred to an independent developer community, which continued the project under the name The Open Network.

TON Architecture and Features

TON is a multi-layered system that includes the following components:​

TON Blockchain: the core payment system designed for millions of payments per second.​

TON P2P Network: a peer-to-peer network organization consisting of TON clients themselves.​

TON Storage: distributed storage for files and services, similar to torrent systems.​

TON Proxy: a proxy and anonymizer, architecturally similar to I2P and Tor.​

TON DHT: a distributed object search system by hash codes, performing a role similar to a torrent tracker.​

TON Services: a platform for creating distributed applications.​

TON DNS: a system for searching for "human-readable names" of hash codes in the TON DHT.​

TON Payments: a payment system, including micropayments with deferred display in the blockchain.​

TON Virtual Machine: virtual machines for executing contract algorithms between buyers and sellers.​

TON Messages: a messaging system not only between people but also between algorithms.​

TON Hypercube Routing: a system for calculating the optimal path in the P2P network for messages between nodes.​

TON Validators: network users who create and verify blocks in the blockchain, i.e., conduct payments.

This architecture ensures high performance and scalability of the network, allowing it to process millions of transactions per second and support the operation of numerous decentralized applications. ​

TON Ecosystem:

Since the transfer of the project to the developer community, various applications and services have appeared in the TON blockchain. One of the first directions was NFT collections, such as TON PUNK, TON Diamonds, Toned Ape Club, TON Ducks, ARL, and Hello TON NFT. The main platforms for NFT trading in the TON ecosystem are the Getgems, Fragment, and TON Diamonds marketplaces.

Development Prospects:

Additionally, the first-ever collectible token RespectX and a token with its own ecosystem, OpenCoin, were issued in the TON blockchain.

It is also worth mentioning the project The Open League – a competition for projects and users within the TON ecosystem. The league's goal is to attract new users and retain existing ones, as well as reward participants for active engagement. The league is aimed at increasing user involvement in the ecosystem, assisting projects in expanding their audience, and encouraging the creation of functional and attractive products, especially for Telegram users.

The Open Network represents a promising decentralized platform offering a wide range of services and opportunities for developers and users. Thanks to its architecture and active community, TON continues to develop, providing innovative solutions in the field of blockchain technologies and decentralized applications.