New In-App Browser for Decentralized Websites Launched by Telegram

Known as "TON Sites," these decentralized websites are now accessible on both mobile and desktop, according to a July 31 announcement from Telegram’s team.

Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, highlighted that the new browser allows users to seamlessly switch between browsing websites and messaging, combining communication with news consumption.

TON Sites enable Telegram users to set up their own web servers and host their sites on The Open Network. In addition, Telegram has launched its Mini App store, a feature previously promised to debut by the end of July. Users can now also send "Stars" — units of the Mini App payment system — to friends.

More than 500 million of Telegram’s 950 million users engage with Mini Apps each month. One of the standout apps is Hamster Kombat, a crypto game that has gained over 300 million players in just four months. In Hamster Kombat, players tap a hamster to earn tokens and upgrade their virtual crypto exchange. Telegram reports that it was the third-fastest app to reach 150 million players.

Another notable app, Catizen, a Web3 social entertainment platform, has also seen significant adoption. Since its March launch, Catizen has attracted 26 million players and generated $16 million from in-app purchases, with approximately $160,000 allocated to rescuing stray cats.

According to CoinGecko, both Hamster Kombat and Catizen utilize The Open Network’s native cryptocurrency, Toncoin (TON), which has surged by 467% to $6.78 over the past year.

The Open Network blockchain is also seeing progress with the recent launch of the W5 smart wallet standard by the TON Core team, in partnership with Tonkeeper. This update introduces gasless transactions as part of an ongoing effort to make cryptocurrency more accessible, as reported by Tonkeeper’s CEO Oleg Andreev on July 25.