Posted inNews

TON blockchain launches on-chain encrypted messaging feature

July 3, 2023No Comments


The Open Network (TON) has launched an encrypted chain messaging feature, according to a July 3 announcement from network developer TON Foundation. The new feature allows you to send private messages between TON users.

TON is a forked blockchain network made from code created by the team behind the instant messaging application Telegram. Telegram abandoned the project in July 2020, before a mainnet was launched. Anyway, that open source TON code before leaving, allowing others to continue building on the work he had done.

The current network, called โ€œTONโ€, was built by the TON Foundation. The foundation claims that the network provides greater scalability and transaction performance than other options in the Web3 ecosystem while remaining decentralized.

TON has always allowed users to send messages in transactions. But in the past, these messages were completely public. The new feature allows users to encrypt these messages from start to finish, making them readable only by the intended recipient.

TON's lead developer, Anatoly Makosov, claimed that the feature was created to allow for "customization" of transactions:

โ€œWhen sending Toncoin, Jettons or NFTs in TON, you have always been able to include a text for the recipient like 'for a coffee' or 'happy birthday', thus personalizing the interaction. Now this popular feature [...] it is available with full encryption.โ€

Makosov added that it would also be useful if an "apocalypse" occurs that causes traditional messaging servers to fail. In this case, TON can serve as a "trusted" and "safeguarded" method of communicating in private.

Encrypted messages are currently available using various retail wallet apps, including MyTonWallet, OpenMask, and TON Wallet. The feature will also be added to the Tonkeeper mobile wallet โ€œin future updates,โ€ the announcement stated.

In May, the TON Foundation launched a $25 million accelerator program to encourage application developers to build on the network. In November, an independent development team created a Telegram trading bot to incorporate users to TON.