TON’s ecosystem continues to thrive in May 2025, with significant advancements across multiple sectors, including DeFi, payments, NFTs, infrastructure, and user adoption. Key milestones include the launch of high-yield stablecoins, gold-backed tokens, and strategic leadership appointments. Additionally, institutional players are making their mark, while Telegram-native assets experience a surge in both usage and value. As these developments unfold, TON is increasingly shaping the future of crypto, seamlessly integrating blockchain technology into the platforms people already use: Telegram.

Missed last month’s update? Catch up on April 2025 here.

📊 May in Numbers

• Daily Active Wallets: 146K (Source)
• New On-Chain Wallets (Weekly): Up to 243K (Source)
• DeFi Protocols: 67, up from 55 (+22%) (Source)
• NFT Trading Volume: #1 globally (on- and off-chain combined) (Source)
• Daily Active NFT Traders: #1 since May 12, peaking at 10.3K (Source)

🌟 Top Highlights in May

💸 Save Smarter: Earn Up to 18% APY in Telegram

Ethena’s USDe and tsUSDe are now live across major TON wallets like TON Space (available at Wallet in Telegram), Tonkeeper, Tonhub, and MyTonWallet. With up to 18% APY during a 16-week launch campaign, Telegram users can now earn on stable, USD-denominated assets—without leaving the app.

💰Gold at Your Fingertips: Tether Gold (XAUt0) on TON

Say hello to XAUt0—a gold-backed token available exclusively through TON Wallet. Backed 1:1 by LBMA-certified gold in Swiss vaults, XAUt0 is the first omnichain gold token integrated into Telegram. Built using LayerZero’s OFT standard, XAUt0 is a gold-backed asset that can be used for lending, arbitrage, and DeFi liquidity.

XAUt0 is now available via Wallet in Telegram and STON.fi.

🚀 New Leadership to Supergrowth TON’s Growth

TON Foundation is levelling up, welcoming Martin Masser (ex-STON.fi) as Head of Growth and Nikola Plecas (ex-Mastercard, Visa) as VP of Payments. These heavyweights will drive key initiatives like scaling Telegram Mini Apps and boosting tokenized asset adoption worldwide. Expect big things!

🔧 New Builders Support + Major Ecosystem Support

We’re upgrading the way we support builders and developers. With a streamlined model across DeFi, GameFi, Payments, AI, and Telegram In-App Economy, the new TON Builders Portal is your gateway for funding, marketing, and tech assistance.

Ready to build the future with us? You’re just one click away 👉 TON Builders Portal.

🔗 Learn more: Ecosystem Support | Grants

📈 Institutional Adoption & TON in the Spotlight

From exchanges and funds to advanced analytics tools, institutions are plugging into TON:

💵 $1M in Prizes: TON Triumph Month with MEXC

MEXC’s “TON Triumph Month” campaign is LIVE, offering $1M in rewards! Running through June 20, the campaign increases liquidity, visibility, and signals growing institutional confidence in TON’s ecosystem. Join the action.

🏦 Toncoin Listed in Regulated Funds

Fonte Capital just launched a Toncoin fund for professional investors on the Astana International Exchange (AIX). With custody by BitGo and Bybit, this is a major step toward Toncoin becoming a regulated, institution-grade asset.

📊 Arkham + Telegram: Crypto Intelligence on Demand

Arkham’s new Telegram Mini App puts 2.1B labeled wallet addresses and real-time alerts directly in your hands. With 200M+ alerts delivered and a 2.8K-listener AMA kickoff, now, pro-level crypto analytics are accessible to everyone, right from your Telegram app.

📱 Telegram Apps Center Adds Voting to Boost Discovery

With over 200K votes already cast, Telegram Apps Center now lets users upvote their favorite apps, surfacing top picks through community feedback. Top-voted apps gain visibility and support, while the most active voters earn exclusive NFTs. It’s a new step toward community-driven discovery on TON.

⚡️ TON Infrastructure Upgrades

• Tonkeeper Pro is now on iOS, offering advanced features like multisig, 2FA, and wallet folders for power users. The standard app now supports gas-free USDt-TRON transfers via Battery, powered by TON tokens.
• MyTonWallet just launched smoother transfers, bulk transactions, and USDe staking—bringing an even more intuitive experience for your crypto needs (see updates: v.3.6, v.3.7).
• TOLK smart contract language reached Release Candidate status, with expanded IDE support and a smoother coding experience.
• Getgems introduced subdomains and on-chain messaging for NFTs, unlocking new ways for creators and collectors to connect.
• AdsGram now offers easy monetization of Telegram Mini Apps and bots through native ads.

💳 DeFi and Payments: Big Moves Across the Board

• Torch Finance debuted tgUSD, a USDT-backed, yield-bearing stablecoin built for DeFi and real-world payments. Its TVL surged 5x in May, and the team launched the TeFi Alliance, a campaign with 10+ DeFi partners offering $20K in rewards.
• Yield activity stayed strong across platforms, with TONCO hitting 57% APY and Storm Trade offering 27%.
• STON.fi rolled out Weighted Pools; Titan launched Colossus, a new concentrated liquidity market maker; Tradoor added Turbo Mode for sub-50ms confirmation speeds.
• TVL followed the momentum. Tradoor doubled its TVL to $4.5M, while STON.fi saw a 30% TVL jump, reaching $65M.

🌍 USDt-TON Adoption Goes Global

USDt-TON is now more accessible than ever:

Frictionless On-Ramps via Mini Apps

• Africa: Fonbnk enables fiat ramps.
• Global: Onramp.Money supports local payment method purchases for 1.1M+ users across 40+ countries.

Broader Institutional Support

• Latin America: Ripio added support for USDt-TON, while Fiwind now offers free USDt-TON withdrawals.
• Europe: CoinsPaid adds support.
• Philippines: GCash (94M users) now supports USDt-TON.
• Hong Kong: Infini added direct TON wallet deposits.

🎮 GameFi and Telegram-Native Assets Surge

• Tonnel is now  #2 globally in NFT volume and trader count, second only to OpenSea, while new marketplace MRKT reached 11K weekly active wallets.
• Telegram Gifts have surged, with a total trading volume over $43.6M; including a $55K sale of Heroic Helmet #1.
• Plush Pepe, a TON-native collection, entered the top 5 by floor price across all chains.

Top 10 NFTs by Floor Price.

Plush Pepe is at Top 5. Up over x2 less than a week.

When Top 3? pic.twitter.com/8Zj1MgKX52

— Gio (@Giooton) June 2, 2025

• And guess who’s joining the fun? Snoop Dogg made his Telegram debut—receiving 1,500+ Gifts from fans worldwide.

Whatup @telegram https://t.co/5WMiwcu4O3 👊🏿 pic.twitter.com/2bwdDgRyPp

— Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) May 17, 2025

• Pudgy Penguins launched Pengu Clash, a real-time skill-based game on TON, with over 2M users already on the waitlist.
• Notcoin marked its 1-year anniversary with 2.8M holders, over $1B in DEX volume, and 61% of supply now on-chain.
• OG TON projects continue to drive momentum with airdrops: Catizen distributed approximately $1M in $CATI tokens in its second airdrop, while TON Station is gearing up for its second season.

🌯 Wrapping Up: The Future of Crypto is Built into Telegram

As crypto continues to edge closer to the mainstream, TON is not just growing—it’s becoming an essential, integrated part of the digital landscape. From high-yield stablecoins and gold-backed tokens to NFTs, games, and Gifts, we’re delivering real-world utility straight into the apps people use every day.

Next stop: a decentralized future—built on Telegram. We’ll see you in the June update!