Telegram Launches In-App Browser Supporting Decentralized Websites

On July 31, Telegram, the popular crypto-friendly social messaging platform, unveiled a new in-app browser that supports decentralized websites. Known as “TON Sites,” these sites are now accessible to users on both mobile and desktop versions of the platform.

Web3 Integration

The introduction of the in-app browser represents a significant step towards integrating Web3 technologies into Telegram. According to the announcement, this new feature will make Web3 immediately available to Telegram’s nearly one billion monthly users.

Pavel Durov, Telegram’s CEO, highlighted the advantages of the new browser in a statement:

“The Browser lets users switch between viewing websites and messaging, merging communication with news consumption.”

TON Sites and Mini App Store

The new browser allows Telegram users to create and host decentralized websites through The Open Network (TON). This functionality supports the seamless launch and management of web servers for these TON Sites.

In addition, Telegram introduced its Mini App store as promised before the end of July. This new feature allows users to send “Stars,” a unit of the Mini App payment system, to friends.

The Mini App store has gained significant traction, with over 500 million out of Telegram’s 950 million users interacting with Mini Apps on a monthly basis.

Popular Mini Apps

Among the standout Mini Apps is Hamster Kombat, a crypto game that has recently achieved notable milestones:

• Player Base: Surpassed 300 million players in just four months.
• Gameplay: Players tap a hamster to earn tokens and enhance their virtual crypto exchange.
• Popularity: It is the third-fastest app to reach 150 million players.

Another popular app is Catizen, a Web3 social entertainment platform. Launched in March, Catizen has attracted 26 million players and generated $16 million in revenue from in-app purchases. Notably, around $160,000 of this revenue has been dedicated to rescuing stray cats.

Both Hamster Kombat and Catizen utilize Toncoin (TON), The Open Network’s native cryptocurrency. Over the past year, Toncoin has seen a remarkable 467% increase, reaching $6.78, according to CoinGecko data.

The Open Network blockchain continues to evolve with new developments. The TON Core team, in collaboration with Tonkeeper, recently launched the W5 smart wallet standard. This new standard promises gasless transactions, aiming to further simplify crypto interactions for users.

Oleg Andreev, CEO of Tonkeeper, shared insights about this advancement:

“New users can now engage with TON’s ecosystem without needing to acquire Toncoin first, substantially lowering the barriers to entry.”

Telegram’s new features mark a significant expansion into the Web3 space, enhancing user experience and integrating decentralized technologies into its ecosystem. As the platform continues to grow, these developments could pave the way for broader adoption of crypto and blockchain technologies.