What Is Gram?

Gram (GRAM) is the native cryptocurrency of The Open Network (TON), a layer-1 blockchain originally designed by Telegram's team. The token was known as Toncoin (TON) until June 15, 2026, when it was officially renamed Gram following a community vote that passed with 81.22% support. The rename revives the name Telegram used for the token in its original 2018 project, and coincided with Telegram itself taking over as the network's driving force. The blockchain is still called The Open Network; only the token's name and ticker changed, and no token swap or migration was required.

Overview - Table of Contents
What Is Gram?
Getting Started With Gram
How To Get A Gram Wallet?
Gram Resources
How To Buy Gram?
Latest Gram News

The project began as the Telegram Open Network, which raised $1.7 billion in a 2018 ICO. After the SEC halted Telegram's direct involvement in 2020, the project was taken over by the open-source community. Telegram re-engaged with the TON ecosystem in 2023, and in May 2026 founder Pavel Durov announced that Telegram would replace the TON Foundation as the network's primary steward and become its largest validator, under a roadmap he called "Make TON Great Again".

TON's architecture is designed for massive scalability. It uses a multi-chain structure with a masterchain and up to 2^92 possible workchains that can process transactions in parallel. Each workchain can further split into shardchains based on demand, giving the network theoretically unlimited throughput. This design was created to support a user base the size of Telegram's roughly 950 million monthly active users.

The network uses a Proof of Stake consensus mechanism where validators stake GRAM to participate in block production. TON uses a unique form of BFT consensus that allows the network to process blocks very quickly, achieving finality in approximately 5 seconds. The network also features TON DNS (human-readable addresses), TON Storage (decentralized file storage), and TON Proxy (decentralized VPN and privacy tools).

What distinguishes TON from other layer-1 blockchains is its integration with Telegram. The Telegram wallet bot allows users to send and receive GRAM directly within Telegram chats. Telegram has also integrated the network for advertising payments on the platform, and developers can build Telegram Mini Apps that leverage TON for payments and on-chain functionality. This gives the network direct access to one of the largest messaging platforms in the world.

The TON ecosystem includes decentralized exchanges (STON.fi, DeDust), lending protocols, NFT marketplaces (Getgems), and a growing number of Telegram-integrated applications. The ecosystem saw explosive growth through Telegram tap-to-earn games in 2024, which onboarded millions of new users to the TON blockchain.

Getting Started With Gram

Getting started with GRAM is particularly easy due to Telegram integration:

Step 1: Open Telegram and access the @wallet bot to create a TON wallet instantly, or download a dedicated TON wallet like Tonkeeper.
Step 2: Purchase GRAM from a major exchange or directly within Telegram using the wallet bot.
Step 3: Send GRAM to your wallet and begin exploring the ecosystem.
Step 4: Try Telegram Mini Apps that use TON, or explore DeFi protocols like STON.fi and DeDust.

TON transaction fees are very low, typically costing a fraction of a cent, making it practical for everyday transactions and micropayments within Telegram.

How to Get a Gram Wallet?

Tonkeeper

Tonkeeper is the most popular dedicated TON wallet, available as a mobile app for iOS and Android and as a browser extension. It supports GRAM, all Jetton tokens (TON's token standard), and NFTs. Tonkeeper provides built-in staking, a DEX aggregator, and a browser for TON dApps.

Telegram Wallet

The @wallet bot built into Telegram provides a custodial wallet that lets users send, receive, and buy GRAM directly in Telegram. It is the simplest way to get started but offers less control than a self-custody wallet.

MyTonWallet

MyTonWallet is a browser extension and web wallet for TON. It is open-source and provides a full-featured interface for managing TON assets, staking, and interacting with dApps.

Hardware Wallets

Ledger hardware wallets support the network for users who want maximum security. Ledger can be connected through Tonkeeper or other compatible interfaces.

Gram Resources

How to Buy Gram?

GRAM is available on most major exchanges and directly within Telegram. Exchanges migrated their listings from the TON ticker to GRAM after the June 2026 rename:

Within Telegram

The easiest way to buy GRAM is through Telegram's built-in @wallet bot, which supports credit card and P2P purchases in many countries.

Centralized Exchanges

GRAM is listed on Binance, OKX, Bybit, KuCoin, and other major exchanges. You can purchase GRAM with fiat currency or swap from other cryptocurrencies. Holders of the former Toncoin did not need to take any action; the rename involved no token swap.

Decentralized Exchanges

Within the TON ecosystem, STON.fi and DeDust are the primary DEXs for swapping between GRAM and Jetton tokens.

After purchasing, transfer GRAM to a self-custody wallet like Tonkeeper for maximum security.

Latest Gram News

The biggest story of 2026 is Telegram's takeover of the network and the token's rename. On May 4, 2026, Pavel Durov announced that Telegram would replace the TON Foundation as the driving force behind TON and become its largest validator. A community vote that closed on June 8, 2026 approved renaming Toncoin to Gram with 81.22% support, and the change took effect on June 15, 2026, with exchanges migrating the ticker from TON to GRAM. The blockchain itself remains The Open Network, and no token swap was required.

Durov's legal situation in France remains open: he was questioned for a fourth time in the criminal investigation in July 2026, though his travel ban was lifted in November 2025 and no trial date has been set. The network's circulating supply stands at roughly 2.73 billion GRAM out of about 5.22 billion total, with no maximum supply cap.