In the Nov. 10 TON Gateway finale panel, “TON and the Wider World,” moderated by Jack Booth, with speaker Jerry Sun (Director of Microcosm Labs), Alicia Kao (Managing Director of KuCoin), Danel Basharimov (VIP Relationship Manager of Bybit) and Issa Zhang (Investment Manager of MEXC). Each offered unique insights into TON’s future path and potential.
Q1: What excites you about TON’s vision and future pathways?
Jerry Sun:
My first encounter with TON was in Thailand around March this year. Initially, TON’s partnership with Telegram wasn’t apparent. However, further due diligence revealed its significance. Drawing parallels with major Chinese companies like Tencent, NetEase, and Alibaba, I see TON’s potential in integrating social media with financial platforms. This approach, as evidenced by WeChat Pay in China, Line Pay in Japan, and KakaoTalk in Korea, can be transformative. TON, in leveraging Telegram’s extensive user base, could achieve what Facebook couldn’t, creating a platform with daily utility for a global audience, encompassing everything from social interaction to financial transactions.
Q2: What makes TON’s vision particularly compelling to you?
Jerry Sun:
The key lies in reimagining TON’s role. Unlike the Ethereum ecosystem where many of us have roots, TON addresses mass adoption, targeting the daily use by billions. This perspective shift opens up unprecedented opportunities. For instance, in the realm of GameFi on the Ethereum network, user onboarding is cumbersome due to wallet and blockchain complexities. In contrast, TON simplifies this, enabling immediate sharing and participation. Our focus is on nurturing fresh ideas and exploring uncharted territories in this new, expansive ecosystem.
Q3: Could you share KuCoin’s future plans regarding the TON ecosystem?
Alicia Kao:
KuCoin, aligning with TON’s mission of mass adoption, plans to expand our presence on Telegram through mini-apps. Our aim is to grow our user base globally, enhance our features on Telegram, and support the TON developer community. We’re exploring collaborations to foster a vibrant ecosystem, ensuring that our million-strong Telegram user base receives robust support and information.
Q4: Could you elaborate on the grant program related to TON?
Alicia Kao:
We’re initiating a grant program in partnership with the TON Foundation to better support developers in the TON ecosystem. KuCoin, leveraging our six-year experience, resources, and user base, is committed to sharing our insights and supporting emerging teams in navigating this new landscape.
Q5: Can you discuss MEXC’s strategic investment in TON and future support plans?
Issa Zhang:
MEXC’s partnership with the TON Foundation began earlier this year. As an investment arm, we back TON-based projects like MEGATON and TON Play in various aspects including investment, listing, and marketing. I’m excited to announce the launch of the TON Collateral Lending project on MEXC, allowing users to leverage TONCoin as collateral for significant USDT loans, with the added benefit of zero trading fees for TONCoin on our exchange.
Q6: What aspects of TON make you optimistic about its future?
Issa Zhang:
TON Chain’s unique blend of innovative technology and integration with Telegram’s user base uniquely positions it to bridge the gap between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0.
Alicia Kao (KuCoin):
The energy and dedication within the TON developer community are palpable. With a multitude of projects on other public chains, TON still offers vast opportunities for growth and innovation. Our collaboration with TON is strategic, ensuring we are well-positioned for significant developments in the next market upswing.
Q7: Jerry, looking back, what motivated you to start building on TON?
Jerry Sun:
The decision to focus on TON was driven by three key factors. Firstly, from a business perspective, we sought new opportunities beyond the achievements of Ethereum. Secondly, we wanted to embrace the challenge of a new ecosystem, especially appealing to new Web 2.0 users. Finally, our technical evaluation revealed TON’s superior blockchain architecture. At Microcosm Labs, our ventures extend beyond TON, but our focus on TON is underpinned by its unique blend of technological innovation, business potential, and strategic alignment with Telegram.
CONCLUSION
“TON & the Wider World,” not only provided a broad overview of the TON blockchain’s current state and future prospects but also offered deep insights, particularly from Jerry Sun, Director at Microcosm Labs. His perspectives shedding light on the strategic and innovative potential of TON.
Jerry Sun’s reflections on his initial encounter with TON and the subsequent realization of its partnership with Telegram were particularly impactful. He drew compelling parallels between TON and major Chinese tech giants like Tencent, NetEase, and Alibaba, illustrating TON’s potential to revolutionize the integration of social media and financial platforms. This comparison is especially relevant considering the success of platforms like WeChat Pay and Line Pay in Asia, suggesting a similar transformative potential for TON in leveraging Telegram’s extensive user base.
Sun’s vision of TON as a platform with daily utility for a global audience, encompassing everything from social interaction to financial transactions, positions TON as a unique player in the blockchain space. This vision aligns with the broader theme of the panel, emphasizing TON’s role in mass adoption and its potential to make blockchain technology a part of everyday life. He emphasis on TON’s unique blend of technological innovation, business potential, and strategic alignment with Telegram, along with the insights from other panelists, collectively underscored TON’s potential to redefine user interaction in the digital age. As TON continues to evolve, it stands poised to make a significant impact on the blockchain landscape, driven by a vision of making blockchain technology a practical and integral part of everyday life.
Furthermore, the strategic partnerships and initiatives, such as KuCoin’s integration with Telegram and MEXC’s investment in TON-based projects, reflect a growing confidence in TON’s infrastructure and its ability to support a wide range of applications and services. These collaborations are not just about investment and development; they are about building a community and an ecosystem that is sustainable, innovative, and user-friendly.