Notcoin

bullish

DeFi

Gram (prev. Toncoin)

Rewards

<p>Pavel <a href="https://x.com/durov" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">@durov</a> has pushed back against criticism of Telegram's decision to become the largest validator on The Open Network (<a href="https://x.com/ton_blockchain" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">@ton_blockchain</a>), arguing the move strengthens decentralization rather than undermining it. His case: <a href="https://x.com/telegram" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">@telegram</a>'s stake acts as a counterweight, creating room for other large participants to join the pool without any single party dominating the network.</p>
<h2 id="validators-lock-up-more-a-href-https-x-com-search-q-24tonsrc-cashtag_click-rel-noopener-noreferrer-nofollow-ton-a-as-apr-tops-20">Validators Lock Up More <a href="https://x.com/search?q=%24TON&amp;src=cashtag_click" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$TON</a> as APR Tops 20%</h2>
<p>The validator race is intensifying. Competing nodes are currently chasing yields of 20% or more in annual percentage rate, drawing more <a href="https://x.com/search?q=%24TON&amp;src=cashtag_click" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$TON</a> into lockup in the process. <cite>Independent staking data from Staking Rewards shows TON validators earning around 23% APY at current rates.</cite> That backdrop helps explain why Telegram's entrance into the validator set is being watched closely: a larger, better-capitalised participant changes the competitive dynamics for everyone else.</p>
<p><cite>Telegram has staked approximately 2.2 million TON, worth around $2.88 million, to operate as a primary validator on the network.</cite> A linked main validator wallet holds around 28.2 million TON on top of that. <cite>The top validator on a blockchain is the node or entity with the largest token stake, which translates into superior voting weight.</cite></p>
<h2 id="a-href-https-x-com-search-q-24tonsrc-cashtag_click-rel-noopener-noreferrer-nofollow-ton-a-surges-on-foundation-handover-news"><a href="https://x.com/search?q=%24TON&amp;src=cashtag_click" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$TON</a> Surges on Foundation Handover News</h2>
<p><cite>Telegram founder Pavel Durov said Telegram will replace the TON Foundation as the main driving force behind The Open Network and become its largest validator, signalling a deeper operational role for the messaging platform in the blockchain ecosystem.</cite><cite><a href="https://x.com/search?q=%24TON&amp;src=cashtag_click" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$TON</a> rallied more than 36% in the past 24 hours, hitting a four-month high of $1.80.</cite></p>
<p><cite>Durov said TON fees had dropped sixfold to "nearly zero" and that the next step would be to shift the network's focus toward "tech superiority," including a new website, new developer tools, and performance upgrades.</cite><cite>Earlier in April, the network deployed Catchain 2.0, a revamped consensus mechanism that shrank block times from 2.5 seconds to 400 milliseconds.</cite></p>
<p>The move is not without risk. <cite>Telegram becoming TON's largest validator also makes it the network's most powerful single actor, and DeFi observers have noted that a blockchain where one company controls a dominant validator share is, by definition, not fully decentralised.</cite><cite>The bullish sentiment has nonetheless spread across the Telegram-linked ecosystem, with Notcoin gaining nearly 26%, Dogs rising more than 100%, and several smaller TON-based tokens posting even larger daily moves.</cite></p>
<p><strong>Sources:</strong><br><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/telegram-to-become-tons-largest-validator-durov-says" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CoinTelegraph: Telegram to Become TON's Largest Validator, Durov Says</a><br><a href="https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2026/05/05/ton-jumps-36-as-messaging-giant-telegram-to-take-control-of-network-push" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CoinDesk: Toncoin surges 36% as Telegram replaces TON Foundation</a><br><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/asset/the-open-network" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Staking Rewards: Toncoin (TON) Staking Rates</a></p>

20%+ Apr Heats Ton Validator Race

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