The Open Network Foundation (TON Foundation), a non-profit organization supporting the TON community, today announced the appointment of Mr. Maximilian Crown as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately.

Mr. Crown brings a wealth of experience as a seasoned entrepreneur and one of the co-founders of MoonPay, a global leader in crypto payments. As CFO and COO, he played a key role in shaping MoonPay’s finance and operations functions, helping scale the company into one of the largest crypto payments platforms worldwide. He also built strong relationships with banks, payments companies, and regulatory bodies, positioning MoonPay as a trusted fintech leader. Crown will maintain his seat on the board of MoonPay.

Strengthening leadership amid institutional interest

The appointment of Mr. Crown follows the recent naming of Mr. Manuel Stotz as President of the board of the TON Foundation. Mr. Stotz, founder of Kingsway Capital, brings deep expertise in frontier market innovation and reflects growing institutional engagement within the TON ecosystem.

In a major milestone in January, the Foundation also expanded its strategic partnership with Telegram, establishing TON as the exclusive blockchain partner for the Telegram Mini Apps Ecosystem, and underscoring its mission to provide a robust, reliable, and scalable solution for users and developers that can support the growth of Telegram’s global network. This momentum is further reflected by more than $400 million in Toncoin now held by leading U.S.-based venture capital firms, signaling strong institutional confidence in TON’s ecosystem.

Explosive growth and strategic roadmap

TON Blockchain has seen significant growth over the past year, with total active accounts surging from 4 million to 41 million and number of on-chain addresses surpassing 150 million. During this period, the number of Toncoin holders exceeded the number of wallets holding Bitcoin, and TON apps became some of the most-used crypto applications globally — showcasing the unparalleled distribution potential of Telegram.

Looking ahead, TON Foundation aims to onboard 30 percent of Telegram’s active users to the TON Blockchain by 2028. This initiative will focus on four key verticals: leveraging Telegram’s native IP (such as stickers, gifts, and on-chain collectibles), launching multiplayer mini-games, introducing user-friendly DeFi savings solutions, and enabling real-world crypto payments through practical applications.

“In Max, TON Foundation is gaining an accomplished leader with extensive experience in successfully scaling global fintech operations," said Manuel Stotz, President at TON Foundation. “His deep understanding of the crypto market and blockchain technology, and his proven track record of operating one of the largest payments companies in the crypto space make for a great fit with our goals, and under his leadership, I have every confidence that TON’s ecosystem will go from strength to strength.”

“TON’s speed, scalability, and exclusive integration with Telegram set it apart in the blockchain space,” said Maximilian Crown. “With access to over 1 billion Telegram users, TON has a unique opportunity to expand its ecosystem globally and redefine how blockchain technology is adopted at scale. I am honored to lead TON Foundation as we take these next bold steps together — building the most accessible and widely adopted blockchain ecosystem in the world.”