Telegram Messenger has unveiled a payment option for channel owners to monetize their content through Toncoin, the app’s digital currency.
The feature incentivizes content creators and integrates cryptocurrency into the platform’s economic model.
The announcement helped Toncoin buck the trend on Monday, even as the total cryptocurrency market capitalization tumbled by 1.5%.
In the 24 hours leading up to 1:40 p.m. ET, Toncoin experienced a 1.3% increase, according to CoinGecko data.
Telegram’s payment system empowers users to purchase advertisements using Toncoin and to target specific channels for their ads.
Eligibility for the 50% revenue share extends to channel owners with a minimum of 1,000 subscribers, who can then transfer their earnings through the Telegram-affiliated Fragment exchange without incurring fees or reinvesting in Telegram’s services.
The TON blockchain, now the core currency of The Open Network, also facilitates other ventures, including gaming and the meme coin Notcoin. With Telegram channels amassing over one trillion views each month, this fresh revenue-sharing model promises to enhance the platform’s value for creators. Among messaging apps, Telegram ranks third in monthly downloads, behind only WhatsApp and Snapchat.
In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Ton Foundation’s investment director Justin Hyun highlighted the potential of blockchain-based Mini Apps on Telegram to catalyze mainstream blockchain adoption.
The foundation’s ambition is to attract 500 million users by 2028 through intuitive applications that seamlessly integrate blockchain technology, potentially acting as a “Trojan horse” for the broader acceptance of blockchain applications.