Telegram, the crypto-friendly messaging app, has launched an in-app browser. It supports decentralized websites. The browser works on mobile and desktop.
Telegram announced this on July 31. They call these decentralized websites "TON Sites". They run on The Open Network.
The move aims to make Web3 accessible to Telegram's user base. The app boasts nearly one billion monthly users.
Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, commented on the launch. He said the browser lets users switch between viewing websites and messaging. It merges communication with news consumption.
The company also rolled out its Mini App store. This launch was expected before July's end. Users can now send "Stars" to friends. These are units in the Mini App payment system.
Mini Apps are hugely popular on Telegram. Over 500 million users interact with them monthly. That's more than half of Telegram's user base.
One standout Mini App is Hamster Kombat. It's a crypto game that's only four months old. Yet it's already hit 300 million players. Users tap a hamster to earn tokens and upgrade a virtual crypto exchange.
Another popular app is Catizen. It's a Web3 social entertainment platform. Durov says it's made $16 million from in-app purchases since March. About $160,000 of that has gone to rescuing stray cats.
Both these apps use Toncoin, The Open Network's native cryptocurrency. Toncoin's value has shot up 467% in the past year. It's now worth $6.78.
The Open Network is seeing other developments too. The TON Core team recently launched a new smart wallet standard. It promises gasless transactions. This could make crypto more accessible to newbies.
Oleg Andreev, CEO of Tonkeeper, spoke about this new feature. He said it lets new users engage with TON's ecosystem without needing Toncoin first. It's a big step in bringing crypto to the masses.
In a nutshell, Telegram's making waves in the crypto world. With its massive user base and new features, it could be a real game-changer. But only time will tell if this gamble pays off.