Community Update

As the TON ecosystem evolves, so does the way we come together! We're consolidating channels to keep conversations more active and connected. As a result, this channel will be closing and joining the main TON community.

Getting the latest updates, connecting with the wider community, and getting support just got easier.

Stay Connected:
🔊 News & Updates
TG: TON Dev News, Toncoin, TON Community
X: TON 💎, TON Community
LI: TON Foundation | LinkedIn
GH: TON Blockchain
💬 Community Groups
TG: TON Dev Eng, Toncoin Chat, TON Community Chat

Thanks for being part of this space. See you on the other side!

YouTube | TON.org

🚀 The AI Hackathon review period has been extended until April 3.

The results exceeded all expectations: over 160 submissions, 4x the previous contest.

The volume and variety of projects submitted have genuinely impressed us. A strong mix of thoughtful, creative, and technically impressive work from across the ecosystem.

We definitely didn’t expect that. So, we are extending the review period to April 3 to ensure we have enough time to review every submission thoroughly.

While you wait, two new features just dropped on the Identity platform:

🔹Makers. Add your teammates to submission. Everyone gets the participation badge.
🔹Comments. Talk about projects. Feedback, questions, discussion, all on submission pages.

Thank you for the energy, creativity, and effort you brought to this hackathon.

Keep building! ✨😎

TON Community | TON Builders | TON Dev News | TON Hubs | X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

🫧 Tolk v1.3: moving toward a general-purpose language

After the previous post, this release may feel less surprising — but still a bit unusual.

The reason is simple: Tolk is no longer evolving only as a contract language. It is becoming a foundation for the toolchain I described earlier.

This release focuses on features beyond contracts — introducing general-purpose capabilities needed for libraries and frameworks.

✅ Notable changes in Tolk v1.3:

1. Type array<T> — dynamically sized arrays backed by TVM tuples.
2. Type unknown — a TVM primitive with unknown contents.
3. Type lisp_list<T> — nested two-element tuples (FunC-style).
4. Type string — text chunks backed by snaked cells, with StringBuilder for concatenation.
5. Compile-time string methods: "str".crc32(), "str".sha256(), etc.
6. Null coalescing operator — ?? like in TypeScript.
7. Import path mappings — import "@third_party/utils".
8. Compile-time reflection via @stdlib/reflection.
9. Custom serializers now support structures and generics.
10. The compiler now reports multiple errors at once.
11. Focused on stability — fixed dozens of minor issues found by LLM fuzzing.
12. Extensive internal refactoring towards being stateless and multi-threaded.

PR on GitHub with detailed info.

✔ Arrays: redesigned tuples

Working with TVM tuples has been fully redesigned. There is now array<T> — a dynamically sized container:

// array<int>

var numbers = [1, 2, 3];



// array<Point?>

var optPoints = [

    Point { x: 10, y: 20 },

    Point { x: 30, y: 40 },

    null,

];

- methods push, get(idx), etc.
- any T, including sub-arrays like array<array<int>>
- automatically serialized into snake cells
- max size: 255 (TVM limitation)

✔ The `unknown` type

Raw TVM tuple exists, but it's no longer built-in. It's just an array... of something unknown:

type tuple = array<unknown>

The unknown gives access to the untyped TVM stack, fully integrated into the type system.

✔ The `string` type

TVM has no strings — only binary slices. Strings were always just a convention over binary data.

Now Tolk has strings built-in.

// string

val str = "hello";

- strings are cells (not slices)
- long strings are snake cells under the hood
- methods calculateLength, equalTo, etc.
- on-chain/off-chain encoding for jettons and NFTs to comply with TEPs

StringBuilder encapsulates cell manipulation:

StringBuilder.create()  

    .append(content.commonContent)  

    .append(individualNftContent)  

    .build()

By the way, compile-time functions now look cleaner: "str".crc32() and so on.

✔ Import path mappings

The import statement now accepts @aliases:

import "@common/jettons"

import "@third_party/math-lib"

This is similar to widely used path mappings in TypeScript.

✔ Compile-time reflection

Many additions in v1.3 make sense not for contracts, but for frameworks. For example, take a look at one of reflect features:

fun log(msg: string, loc: SourceLocation = reflect.sourceLocation()) {

     debug.print(loc.lineNo);

}



fun demo() {

     log("a");    // prints K — current line no

     log("b");    // prints K+1

}

Why is this useful? It allows errors to point to the original call site — for example, expect(...) in tests — by carrying source location at compile time.

⚙️ A huge portion of internal refactoring

A lot of work has been done inside the compiler core, peephole optimizations, and memory management.

Final result: tolk compiler is now thread-safe and re-invokable within a single process. It will be embedded into an external toolchain written in Rust, communicating via FFI.

... And more

Dozens of independent improvements. Combined, they cover the requirements not only for contracts, but for abstract libraries and the upcoming toolchain.

Feel free to check the description on GitHub.

🌳 And one more thing! Wallet-v5, compiled with Tolk v1.3, reduces gas usage by 30% compared to FunC. As of Tolk v1.0, the savings were "only" 20%. Take a look at new benchmarks.

WalletConnect now supports TON.

WalletConnect's global network, which connects 500M+ users across 700+ wallets and facilitated more than $400B in transaction volume in 2025, now has access to TON's expanding stablecoin economy and DeFi ecosystem.

To enable this, TON Connect protocol has been extended to support WalletConnect as a transport layer, allowing TON dApps to interact with multichain wallets without building wallet connection support from scratch.

What this means for the ecosystem:

• Wallets with WalletConnect can now support TON with minimal integration effort.
• Institutions gain access to TON's DeFi and liquidity layer.
• Apps can attract non-TON native audiences.

Fireblocks and SafePal are among the first to integrate TON through WalletConnect. Through Fireblocks' network of 2,400+ institutional clients, organizations can now tap into TON-based DeFi, including liquidity pools and liquid staking, and incorporate TON into existing treasury workflows.

With institutional capital flowing in, TON's DeFi platforms like STON.fi, DeDust, Tonstakers, Affluent, Storm, and TONCO stand to benefit from deeper liquidity, which in turn means better opportunities for everyday crypto users.

Read more: https://walletconnect.com/blog/walletconnect-adds-support-for-ton-expanding-stablecoin-payments-across-a-fast-growing-ecosystem

TON Community | TON Builders | TON Hubs | X | YouTube |
LinkedIn | TON.org

Gift Fest Season 2 is live — Mini App-based campaign with $300,000 in rewards

Gift Fest runs entirely inside a Telegram Mini App, combining distribution, engagement, and rewards in one flow.

What’s included:
• $300,000 total prize pool
• Multi-format rewards (devices, digital assets, real-world items)
• Updated mechanics for participation and progression

Ecosystem participants:
Tonkeeper, Wallet in Telegram, Getgems, Mira, Tribute, PlayDeck, GoMining

For builders, this is a live example of:
• Mini App-driven user onboarding
• Partner-based distribution at scale

🎮 Explore the live implementation

WalletKit | Alpha AppKit | TON Coin | TON Hubs | X | YouTube | LinkedIn |TON.org

That's a wrap. TON AI Agent Hackathon is closed.

150+ projects. Two weeks. Some of what came through was seriously impressive production-grade infra, live mainnet deployments, agents that actually work.

Respect to everyone who shipped.

Judging underway. Winners next week.

View the submissions here

TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

TON at OpenClaw Lobster Cave | Cannes

Building AI agents on TON? This hackathon is structured for fast onboarding and execution.

TON and Hacken are launching OpenClaw Hackathon:
• Start: March 25
• End: March 29, 23:59
• Results: March 30

Expect:
• Live agent demos
• Technical discussion
• Workshop-style conversations
• Networking with serious builders

Over 200 builders already registered.

Register now

TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

Sub-second finality: how to adapt your project

TON is rolling out Catchain 2.0, a consensus upgrade targeting sub-second block finality on mainnet in early April 2026.

What's changing:
– Block interval: ~2.5s → 200–400ms
– Finalization lag: ~10s → ~1s
– Throughput: up to ~5 blocks/sec

But a faster chain alone won't help users if apps still rely on old API.

We've published a step-by-step adoption guide covering:

🔹 Wallets & dApps: switch to TON Center Streaming API v2. Handle all four statuses: pending → confirmed → finalized → trace_invalidated.
🔹 Self-hosted nodes & liteservers: update to the latest release with Catchain 2.0 support before mainnet activation.
🔹 Indexers: prepare for up to 10x more blocks/sec. Connect to testnet and verify no lag accumulates over 30+ minutes.

Testnet already runs at sub-second speed. Test there now.

MyTonWallet and tonscan.org already use Streaming API and have nearly halved their reaction time, even before the mainnet upgrade.

📖 Full guide: How to adopt sub-second finality

Start adapting today. If your app isn't ready, users won't notice any improvement.

TON AI Agent Hackathon, last 24 hours

Deadline: March 25, 11:59 PM UTC

If your project is in progress, complete your build and submit.
Focus on delivering a working implementation.

Submit your entry here

TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

TON Real Talk Ep.7 is LIVE!

Dev updates across TON, including Rust Node progress with Roman Nguyen (RSquad), plus GameFi projects such as Glance, EdChess and iTerra.

With Anastasia, Dmitry, Anthony & Daniil.

Watch on Telegram, X or YouTube

TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

TON Real Talk Ep.7 — Dev Updates

Dev updates across TON, including Rust Node progress with Roman Nguyen (RSquad).

Hosted by Anastasia Yugova (CIS Hub Lead), Dmitry (CIS Community Lead), Anthony Tsivarev (VP of Ecosystem Development) & Daniil Sherbakov (GameFi BD).

19/03 | 4pm UTC
On X, Telegram & YouTube

We're waiting for you

TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

🎬 Tech Interview EP3

A closer look at Tolk, the language replacing FunC for smart contracts on TON.

Aleksandr Kirsanov (TON Core Team) explains how Tolk improves developer workflows and simplifies on-chain development.

We covered:
Limits of FunC
Why projects are migrating to Tolk
Unified development tooling
The vision for a smart contract development

Check the full episode here

TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

Report: Telegram as the default AI interface

IdentityHub published a report exploring Telegram as an emerging interface for AI agents.

Instead of building standalone dashboards, developers can run workflows, automation and agents directly inside chat.

For builders on TON, this model aligns with bots, Mini Apps and agent-based services deployed where users already interact.

Read the report

TON Community | TON Coin | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

Why TON Pay?

Payments shouldn’t require every builder to implement the same infrastructure.

In Telegram apps, that often meant creating wallets, checkout flows and settlement logic from scratch.

TON Pay simplifies the integration

One SDK for Mini Apps, bots, and backend services. One-time payments, recurring payments, and subscriptions. Non-custodial, with funds remaining under user control.

Focus on the product, not the payment stack.

TON Community | TON Coin | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn TON.org

TON Real Talk Ep.6 is LIVE!

This week we discuss COCOON AI, decentralisation, and how Confidential Compute network can support developers building on TON.

Together with our special guests: @BlockchainBK from AlphaTON Capital, Matthew from Atlantic AI, JonMichael from FarmGPU & @moontrips from TON Foundation.

Watch on Telegram, X or YouTube

WalletKit | Alpha AppKit | TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn |TON.org

Unfortunately, due to the Middle East conflict and safety conditions in the UAE area, we have made the decision to cancel Gateway Dubai, originally scheduled for May 1 and 2, 2026. This was a difficult call, but the safety and well-being of our community always comes first.

If you purchased a ticket to Gateway through Luma, Moongate or Tribute, or booked hotel reservations through promocode, you will receive a refund within the next 14 days. For further questions, please contact: gateway@ton.org.

We are currently examining different formats to produce a Gateway event before the end of this year. An announcement will be forthcoming in the near future. We look forward to seeing you soon.

TON Pay Workshop This Friday

Payments on TON are becoming easier to integrate for eveyone.

This Friday, we’re running the first TON Pay workshop with a live walkthrough and Q&A covering integration and key features.

TON Pay is newly launched. If you’re building on TON and planning payment flows, this session will help you get started.

Friday, March 13
🕑 2 PM UTC
📍 Live on X (@ton_blockchain)

Questions about integration? Submit them here

WalletKit | Alpha AppKit | TON Community | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn |TON.org

TON AI Agent Hackathon is live

$20,000. March 11-25.

Track 1: Agent Infrastructure ($10K)

Build the tooling layer: wallet integrations, agent coordination, payment flows, developer tools, core infrastructure that powers AI applications on TON.

Track 2: User Facing Agents ($10K)

Build agents users interact with directly in Telegram: commerce agents, payment bots, trading tools, automation products.

Two weeks. Real prizes. Start Building.

MCP Docs
For more information and registration click here

TON Community | TON Builders | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn TON.org

TON builders, new infrastructure just landed.

The TON Rust Node by RSquad Blockchain Lab is a production-grade implementation of the TON protocol built for modern, cloud-native environments and scalable validator operations.

With container-first deployment, Docker images and Helm charts, spinning up a node can take less than 10 minutes, even without deep TON-specific experience.

On top of that, Nodectl provides a unified control plane to manage validator fleets, covering elections, staking, governance, and analytics.

Security is also built in: private keys are never stored unencrypted, with HashiCorp Vault integration and a clear separation between execution and custody.

Infrastructure like this is what helps the TON ecosystem scale.

Start building 👇

👉 TON - Rust Node Docs
👉 RSquad - TON Rust Node
👉 Watch Video

TON Foundation
TON Community | TON Builders | TON Hubs |X | YouTube | LinkedIn | TON.org

We are monitoring the situation in the Middle East and its potential impact on our Gateway event in Dubai on May 1 and 2. All options are under consideration. Safety for our community is our number one priority at TON Foundation. We will share a final decision with you by March 20th. Thank you.