The potential for mass blockchain adoption could be realized through the use of blockchain-based mini-decentralized applications (DApps) on Telegram, also known as Mini Apps, which have been compared to a “Trojan horse” in this regard. Justin Hyun, the director of investments at TON Foundation, expressed this sentiment in an interview with Cointelegraph. These Telegram Mini Apps were introduced in 2020 as an open platform that allows Web3 businesses to deploy crypto-friendly apps directly within the Telegram messaging app. This initiative was a collaboration between The Open Network (TON) Foundation and Tencent, with the goal of creating a super-app platform.
To bring the next 500 million users onto the blockchain, it is important to start with simple use cases that do not require users to be knowledgeable about the underlying blockchain technology, Hyun explained. Additionally, some Telegram Mini Apps will provide Web3-specific financial incentives to users. Hyun further discussed the mechanics of Mini Apps in a video interview.
Telegram is currently the third-largest messenger app in the world in terms of monthly downloads, as reported by Statista. It boasts over 800 million monthly active users globally. In February, Telegram announced the launch of its advertising platform, which will utilize the TON blockchain for payments. Starting this month, Telegram channel owners from more than 100 countries will be able to receive financial rewards for their work as the ad platform becomes available to all advertisers. These channel owners will receive 50% of the total advertising revenue generated by Telegram through ads displayed in their channels.
On March 20, TON launched a $115 million community incentive program. This program includes $38 million for token mining and user incentives, $22 million for airdrops, $15 million for The League developer ecosystem, and $40 million for liquidity pool boosts.
In related news, there is a new BTC price prediction that suggests Bitcoin could reach a cycle top of $180K.