Espresso Systems Nears TGE! $60M Raised, Mainnet 1.0 Launch Countdown Begins as A16z-Led Hype Soars
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DeFi Bridges Telegram’s Billion Users: Can TAC Revive TON’s "Knee-Cut" TVL?
The TON Application Chain (TAC) officially launched its mainnet this Tuesday, aiming to bring Ethereum-compatible decentralized finance (DeFi) applications to Telegram’s massive user ecosystem. According to an official announcement, with TAC’s mainnet now live, Ethereum DeFi protocols like Curve, Morpho, and Euler are accessible directly through Telegram.
The TAC token ($TAC) surged over 50% shortly after the mainnet launch, peaking at $0.0248 before settling around $0.026 at press time.
Technical Path: How TAC Brings Ethereum DeFi to Telegram
TAC is built as a CosmosEVM-based Layer 1 blockchain. Its core design centers on providing a "TON-specific cross-chain layer" to bridge Ethereum’s DApps and developers with Telegram’s over 1 billion monthly active users. This approach addresses TON’s inherent incompatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing EVM-based DApps to integrate with Telegram’s native blockchain infrastructure—TON—via TAC.
Additionally, TAC’s ecosystem is bolstered by major infrastructure partners, including LayerZero, RedStone, Blockscout, and Babylon. These collaborations enable cross-chain messaging and oracle data services, ensuring seamless DeFi operations and data accuracy within Telegram.
Currently, leading Ethereum DeFi protocols like Curve Finance, Morpho, and Euler are already live on Telegram through TAC, offering decentralized trading and lending services.
Distribution Strategy: Leveraging Telegram’s User Base
In DeFi, distribution channels are critical to success.
Take Base chain as an example—its user growth is tightly linked to Coinbase’s distribution network. TAC’s strategy hinges on accessing the TON ecosystem and tapping into Telegram’s vast user base. Reportedly, users can access DeFi apps with just "one click" to trade or engage in yield farming.
Andrew Klebanov, Executive Partner at The Open Platform (TOP) Labs, stated that TAC’s mainnet launch is "a major step toward bringing DeFi into the mainstream," aiming to deliver "real utility" to over a billion users.
Telegram’s ambitions go even further. In January, the messaging giant partnered with the TON Foundation, mandating that all blockchain mini-apps be built on TON. It later rolled out a digital asset tokenization plan, with founder Pavel Durov emphasizing the fusion of social and financial services: "We want every chat window to become a financial gateway."
The Open Platform Labs (TOP) recently closed a $28.5 million Series A+ funding round in early July, surpassing a $1 billion valuation. Insiders reveal that investors include a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund. Unlike other Layer 1 projects, TAC’s unique advantage lies in its ability to bypass the challenge of cultivating user habits from scratch—it stands directly on Telegram’s shoulders.
TON Ecosystem: High Hopes, Harsh Reality
However, whether investor enthusiasm translates into tangible ecosystem growth remains to be seen. Despite strong funding and resources, TON faces real-world challenges.
Recall 2024: a year of extremes for TON. Its Total Value Locked (TVL) soared past $760 million in the first half, only to plummet by over 50% in August, now languishing below $150 million.
TAC now confronts three key hurdles:
Attracting quality DApp developers to build despite TON’s overall slump.
Moving beyond hype to genuinely engage Telegram’s billion-user base.
Navigating the ever-present regulatory uncertainties, particularly around on-chain activities.
Ultimately, transforming billions of chat users into DeFi natives is no simple feat. How far this experiment in bridging two ecosystems will go? Only time will tell.
The TON Application Chain (TAC) officially launched its mainnet this Tuesday, aiming to bring Ethereum-compatible decentralized finance (DeFi) applications to Telegram’s massive user ecosystem. According to an official announcement, with TAC’s mainnet now live, Ethereum DeFi protocols like Curve, Morpho, and Euler are accessible directly through Telegram.
The TAC token ($TAC) surged over 50% shortly after the mainnet launch, peaking at $0.0248 before settling around $0.026 at press time.
Technical Path: How TAC Brings Ethereum DeFi to Telegram
TAC is built as a CosmosEVM-based Layer 1 blockchain. Its core design centers on providing a "TON-specific cross-chain layer" to bridge Ethereum’s DApps and developers with Telegram’s over 1 billion monthly active users. This approach addresses TON’s inherent incompatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing EVM-based DApps to integrate with Telegram’s native blockchain infrastructure—TON—via TAC.
Additionally, TAC’s ecosystem is bolstered by major infrastructure partners, including LayerZero, RedStone, Blockscout, and Babylon. These collaborations enable cross-chain messaging and oracle data services, ensuring seamless DeFi operations and data accuracy within Telegram.
Currently, leading Ethereum DeFi protocols like Curve Finance, Morpho, and Euler are already live on Telegram through TAC, offering decentralized trading and lending services.
Distribution Strategy: Leveraging Telegram’s User Base
In DeFi, distribution channels are critical to success.
Take Base chain as an example—its user growth is tightly linked to Coinbase’s distribution network. TAC’s strategy hinges on accessing the TON ecosystem and tapping into Telegram’s vast user base. Reportedly, users can access DeFi apps with just "one click" to trade or engage in yield farming.
Andrew Klebanov, Executive Partner at The Open Platform (TOP) Labs, stated that TAC’s mainnet launch is "a major step toward bringing DeFi into the mainstream," aiming to deliver "real utility" to over a billion users.
Telegram’s ambitions go even further. In January, the messaging giant partnered with the TON Foundation, mandating that all blockchain mini-apps be built on TON. It later rolled out a digital asset tokenization plan, with founder Pavel Durov emphasizing the fusion of social and financial services: "We want every chat window to become a financial gateway."
The Open Platform Labs (TOP) recently closed a $28.5 million Series A+ funding round in early July, surpassing a $1 billion valuation. Insiders reveal that investors include a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund. Unlike other Layer 1 projects, TAC’s unique advantage lies in its ability to bypass the challenge of cultivating user habits from scratch—it stands directly on Telegram’s shoulders.
TON Ecosystem: High Hopes, Harsh Reality
However, whether investor enthusiasm translates into tangible ecosystem growth remains to be seen. Despite strong funding and resources, TON faces real-world challenges.
Recall 2024: a year of extremes for TON. Its Total Value Locked (TVL) soared past $760 million in the first half, only to plummet by over 50% in August, now languishing below $150 million.
TAC now confronts three key hurdles:
Attracting quality DApp developers to build despite TON’s overall slump.
Moving beyond hype to genuinely engage Telegram’s billion-user base.
Navigating the ever-present regulatory uncertainties, particularly around on-chain activities.
Ultimately, transforming billions of chat users into DeFi natives is no simple feat. How far this experiment in bridging two ecosystems will go? Only time will tell.
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DeFi Bridges Telegram’s Billion Users: Can TAC Revive TON’s "Knee-Cut" TVL?
Espresso Systems Nears TGE! $60M Raised, Mainnet 1.0 Launch Countdown Begins as A16z-Led Hype Soars
Recent Espresso Updates On May 2nd, Espresso Systems announced a three-phase token minting process: Guaranteed Allocation, Over-Allocation, and Public Round. Phase 2 is now live and must be completed by May 15th. Additional participation methods will be unveiled next week. On the same day, Espresso announced a major milestone on its path to Mainnet 1.0: a collaboration with 22 node operators to upgrade the Decaf testnet into a permissionless proof-of-stake system. This upgrade, a critical ste...
Polygon ID Rebrands as Billions, Secures $30M to Advance Trusted Digital Identity
Billions, the first human-AI universal network, aims to extend mobile-first, privacy-first verification to billions of users—and future AI agents—establishing a foundational infrastructure for trusted interactions between humans and machines.$30M Funding Round Led by PolygonEarlier this month, Billions announced a $30 million funding round led by Polygon, with participation from Polychain, Coinbase Ventures, LibertyCity Ventures, BITKRAFT Ventures, and other prominent crypto and AI infrastruc...
The Rise of Bitcoin DeFi: Infrastructure Arms Race and the Coming Explosion
1. From Digital Gold to Yield-Bearing “Platinum” For fifteen years Bitcoin was the world’s most valuable parking lot—you parked, you prayed, you waited. In Q3-2025 the lot sprouted toll booths:BTCFi TVL ↑ 2 200 % YoYLombard community sale 14× oversubscribed, 21 340 wallets, 132 countries.Babylon’s first staking epoch filled 24 000 BTC ($1.5 bn) in 100 minutes—Ticketmaster-level FOMO.The Ferrari is finally leaving the garage.2. Staking 1.0 – Native, Non-Custodial, Liquid BabylonScript-level ti...
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