Ton Pay turns Telegram mini apps into a crypto checkout layer
The Crypto Network Foundation has launched TonPay, a new payment software development kit (SDK) designed to be used for everyday consumer transactions within the Telegram ecosystem.
In a Monday release shared with Cointelegraph, the product is pitched as a simple wallet-agnostic payment gateway that allows merchants and mini-app developers to accept crypto directly through Telegram, with the aim of making the app a seamless blockchain-based transaction.
According to the Ton Foundation, TonPay provides developers with a single software kit that integrates with Telegram mini-apps, removing much of the friction associated with managing wallet infrastructure, deployment and checkout flows.
Nikola Plekas, Vice President of Payments at the Ton Foundation, said the tool “allows merchants to seamlessly and natively accept payments on Ton through simple SDK integration.” It works on a variety of wallets and tokens, including TonCoin (TON) and Tether USDt (USDT).
The system is designed for a targeted sub-second transaction time and an average payout of less than one percent, he said. According to Plekas, the ultimate goal is to “power transactions for Telegram's global audience of over 1.1 billion monthly active users.”
By integrating payments directly into Telegram, TON Pay seeks to reduce common barriers to crypto adoption, such as multi-step checkouts, prepaid gas bills, and lack of direct merchant tools.
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Ton Pay is targeting daily payments in Telegram.
Initially, TonPay will work within Telegram's mini-apps, with plans to expand to web environments and other platforms over time.
The Plekas Foundation initially focused on refining the in-app experience, saying, “Onchain Telegram-based business is a huge opportunity.”
Future updates will add support for subscriptions, wireless transactions and region-specific ramps, he said.
The group plans to partner with local third-party providers for protection, compliance and fiat conversion services.
Alternative trading tools, including analytics and multi-party calculation wallets, are also under development.
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Tons of Pay entered the crowded ‘All App' competition.
TonPay's release comes as other major platforms move into integrated payments. Elon Musk announced plans for X Money as part of X's broader push into financial services and a shift toward building so-called “everything apps” that can handle messaging, commerce and payments in a single interface.
Coinbase is following a similar strategy, using Coinbase Wallet as a Base app, which combines a wallet with social features, payments, transaction and support for everything app for onchain mini apps running on the Base Layer-2 network.
Ton has faced long-standing skepticism associated with its deep integration with Telegram, which has previously been criticized for lack of decentralization, opaque governance and fraud related to undisclosed projects.
The Ton Foundation remains an open, license-free network where Ton developers can build for free.
As the SDK expands beyond the app, merchants using TonPay must comply with “platform-specific terms and conditions” set by Telegram, he said.
“We're designing a system that solves key challenges in crypto payments,” said Plekas, while competing with fiat systems like collision, gas payments and boarding.
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