Gram (GRAM) serves as the native digital currency for The Open Network (TON), a decentralized, open-source layer-1 blockchain. This network receives support from various contributors, most notably the TON Foundation, a non-profit entity based in Switzerland.
The project’s origins trace back to 2017, when the Telegram team began coding a blockchain initially called Telegram Open Network (TON), intending to launch a token named 'Gram.' However, in May 2020, Pavel Durov, Telegram’s founder and CEO, declared that Telegram would cease its involvement with the blockchain due to an SEC court order. Consequently, the original Gram token was never distributed.
From 2020 onward, an independent community of developers and enthusiasts has continued the technology's development, with the TON Foundation acting as a leading supporter. During this transition, the blockchain was rebranded from "Telegram Open Network" to "The Open Network," and its native asset was first called Toncoin before being renamed Gram (GRAM).
The network’s whitepaper incorporates portions of the initial codebase created by Dr. Nikolai Durov, Telegram co-founder and brother of Pavel Durov. To ensure scalability and reliability, the TON blockchain operates on a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism.
According to the TON Foundation, their goal is to enable 500 million users to control their digital assets, data, and identity by 2028. They aim to achieve this by supporting developers in constructing a Web3 ecosystem within Telegram Messenger.