TON Pay Turns Telegram Mini Apps into Crypto Checkout Layer

The Open Network Foundation has launched TON Pay, a new payments software development kit (SDK) designed to make cryptocurrencies usable for everyday consumer transactions within the Telegram ecosystem. 

In a Monday release shared with Cointelegraph, the product is positioned as a simple, wallet-agnostic payment layer that allows merchants and Mini App developers to accept crypto directly through Telegram, aiming to turn the app into a hub for seamless blockchain-based commerce.

According to the TON Foundation, TON Pay provides developers with a single software kit that integrates with Telegram Mini Apps, removing much of the friction associated with managing wallet infrastructure, settlement, and checkout flows. 

TON Foundation’s vice president of payments, Nikola Plecas, said the tool allows merchants to “accept payments seamlessly and natively on TON through a simple SDK integration,” adding that it works across various wallets and tokens, including Toncoin (TON) and Tether’s USDt (USDT).

The system was designed for scale, he said, with targeted sub-second transaction times and average fees below one cent. According to Plecas, the ultimate goal is to “power transactions for Telegram’s global audience of over 1.1 billion monthly active users.” 

By embedding payments directly into Telegram, TON Pay seeks to reduce common barriers to crypto adoption, such as multi-step checkouts, pre-paying gas fees, and the lack of straightforward merchant tools.

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TON Pay targets everyday payments inside Telegram

Initially, TON Pay will operate within Telegram Mini Apps, with plans to expand to web environments and other platforms over time. 

Plecas said the Foundation was focused on refining the in-app experience first, noting that “onchain Telegram-based commerce is an enormous opportunity.” 

Future updates, he said, will add support for subscriptions, gasless transactions, and region-specific off-ramps.

The team also plans to partner with local third-party providers for custody, compliance, and fiat conversion services, an approach meant to balance decentralization with regulatory demands. 

Optional merchant tools, including analytics and multiparty-computation wallets, are also in development.

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TON Pay enters crowded ‘everything app’ race

TON Pay’s rollout comes as other major platforms move into integrated payments. Elon Musk’s X has announced plans for X Money as part of a broader push into financial services, and a shift toward building so-called “everything apps” that can handle messaging, commerce, and payments in one interface.

Coinbase is pursuing a similar strategy, rebranding Coinbase Wallet as the Base app, a crypto everything app that combines a wallet with social features, payments, trading, and support for onchain mini apps running on its Base layer-2 network.

TON faces longstanding skepticism tied to its deep integration with Telegram, which has previously been criticized for its lack of decentralization, unclear governance, and scams tied to unofficial projects. 

The TON Foundation maintains that TON remains an open, permissionless network where developers can build freely. 

Merchants using TON Pay, Plecas said, must comply with “platform-specific terms and policies” set by Telegram, with additional requirements applying as the SDK expands beyond the app.

“We are designing a system that addresses key challenges in crypto payments,” Plecas said, such as friction, gas fees, and onboarding, while staying competitive with fiat systems.

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