TON AppChain Mainnet Launches, Bringing Billion-Level User Opportunities to Decentralized Finance

The TON AppChain (TAC) has officially launched its Mainnet recently, aiming to bring Ethereum-compatible Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications into the vast user ecosystem of a well-known instant messaging platform.

According to official news, with the activation of the TAC Mainnet, Ethereum DeFi protocols including Curve, Morpho, and Euler are now available on the communication platform. The TAC token saw a significant increase shortly after its launch on the Mainnet, exceeding 50% at one point, reaching a high of $0.0248, and currently has retraced to around $0.026.

TAC, as a Layer 1 blockchain based on CosmosEVM, has the core design philosophy of providing a "TON-specific cross-chain layer" aimed at connecting Ethereum DApps and developers with over 1 billion monthly active users on this instant messaging platform. This technological approach addresses the incompatibility of the TON blockchain itself with EVM, allowing EVM-based DApps to access the TON blockchain through TAC.

The TAC ecosystem has received support from multiple infrastructure partners, such as LayerZero, RedStone, Blockscout, and Babylon. These collaborations will provide TAC with cross-chain messaging and oracle data stream services, ensuring the smooth operation and data accuracy of DeFi applications in the communication platform environment.

In the field of Decentralized Finance, distribution channels are seen as a key factor for success. The core strategy of TAC lies in gaining access to the TON ecosystem and reaching a large user base through TON. It is said that users can use DeFi applications for trading or yield farming with just "one click."

A partner at a certain laboratory stated that the launch of TAC's Mainnet is "an important step in bringing DeFi to the mainstream," aiming to provide "real utility" for over a billion users. The ambitions of this communication platform are clearly not limited to this. Earlier this year, it reached an agreement with the TON Foundation, requiring all blockchain mini-programs to be developed based on TON. It then launched a digital asset tokenization program, with its founder mentioning the deep integration of social and financial aspects, stating that every chat window should become a financial gateway.

However, whether the capital's fervor can be converted into substantial ecological prosperity still requires an answer from the market. Looking back at 2024, the TON ecosystem experienced a dramatic contrast: in the first half of the year, the TVL once surpassed $760 million, but in August it encountered a sharp decline, currently being less than $150 million.

TAC is currently facing three challenges: how to attract quality DApp developers to continue building in the overall sluggish TON ecosystem; break through the dilemma of "getting praise but not participation" and truly activate the participation of a large user base; and address the regulatory environment, especially regarding regulatory issues related to on-chain activities.

It is not an easy task to suddenly get billions of chat users proficient in DeFi. How far this experiment connecting the two major ecosystems can go still needs time to verify.