TON Space users can now pay gas fees using Telegram Stars, further deepening the integration between the popular messaging app and The Open Network (TON).

It marks a significant step in making blockchain interactions more accessible within the Telegram ecosystem.

Using Telegram Stars for TON Blockchain Gas Fees

The Open Platform (TOP), a venture builder and VC for early-stage projects on the TON Blockchain, revealed the update to BeInCrypto. In the exclusive report, the company cited transitioning from users needing to hold TON tokens to cover transaction fees. Instead, they can leverage their Telegram stars for transaction fees.

TON Space is a self-custodial wallet embedded in Wallet in Telegram. It allows users to store, send, and manage digital assets on the TON blockchain. Unlike traditional custodial wallets that rely on third parties, TON Space grants users full control over their funds.

With the introduction of Telegram Stars for gas fees in TON Space, the blockchain experience is becoming more seamless and user-friendly for Telegram’s massive global audience. The update removes one of the biggest friction points for new users—acquiring and managing blockchain tokens to cover transaction costs.

“You can use Stars to pay blockchain fees for sending or swapping tokens. On the withdrawal and swap pages, you have the option to pay the blockchain fee with Stars. If you don’t have enough Stars in your TON Space balance, you can purchase them from inside your non-custodial wallet,” the new features’ description read.

The cost in Stars depends on the current exchange rate in Toncoin (TON). Since Toncoin is a volatile asset, this can affect the network fee you pay with Stars. 

Given Telegram’s influence and TON’s rapid adoption, this shift could pave the way for broader blockchain usage within mainstream social applications. Notably, Telegram boasts over 950 million users.

Meanwhile, more than 100 million TON Space wallets have been created since exiting beta in December 2024. With the change expected to lower barriers to entry for millions looking to engage with blockchain technology, adoption could increase exponentially.

“TON has already become an integral part of the Telegram ecosystem. By embedding Telegram Stars to pay for blockchain transactions in TON Space, we are bringing crypto even closer to the messenger’s community. Since Stars is native for Telegram, using it to pay for blockchain fees will encourage greater adoption of TON Blockchain while enabling seamless and easy transactions,” The Open Platform CEO Andrew Rogozov told BeInCrypto.

A similar feature has already been implemented in Tonkeeper, another self-custodial wallet for TON. The Tonkeeper app introduced the “Battery” feature, which allows users to prepay transaction fees.

TON Ecosystem Expansion: Trading, Gaming, and Adoption Growth

Meanwhile, the latest announcement comes amid rapid developments within the TON ecosystem. Recently, Telegram-based crypto trading platform TonTrader reported surpassing 100,000 trades opened by users. This highlights the growing interest in on-chain trading within Telegram’s ecosystem.

Recent events, including French authorities releasing Telegram founder Pavel Durov, could boost TON’s growth further. This unexpected event injected fresh momentum into TON, potentially boosting its recovering TVL (Total Value Locked).

The expansion of TON’s gaming ecosystem is another noteworthy trend, with Hamster Kombat launching a gaming-focused Layer-2 blockchain on TON. This move signals a push towards greater scalability and increased gaming adoption on the network.

These developments position TON as a major player in blockchain gaming. By integrating these innovations within Telegram, TON is positioning itself as a leader in bringing decentralized applications (dApps) to a mainstream audience.