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Crypto network guide
The TON Network, Explained
Quick answer
TON (The Open Network) is a Proof of Stake blockchain originally designed at Telegram and completed by its open-source community in 2021. It settles transfers in seconds for about a cent, hosts tokens called jettons — including native USDT since April 2024 — and reaches a mainstream audience through Telegram's built-in wallet.
Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the Anytime Capital trading desk
TON at a glance
- Launched
- 2021
- Consensus
- Proof of Stake (sharded, validator-elected)
- Block time
- ~5 seconds
- Typical transfer time
- Under 1 minute
- Typical network fee
- Under a cent – cents
- Token standard
- Jetton
- Native asset
- Toncoin (TON)
Network fee: Typically $0.01–$0.10 per transfer in 2025–2026 (a few hundredths of a TON), with USDT transfers at the upper end. Third-party network figures, not Anytime Capital pricing — our pricing is on the fees & limits page.
How long does a TON transfer take?
TON confirms transfers in seconds — blocks arrive roughly every 5 seconds and finality follows almost immediately. Toncoin and USDT-on-TON transfers land fast enough that Telegram's in-app wallet treats them as effectively instant.
Compare every chain on one page: how long crypto transfers take on every major network.
What makes TON different: the Telegram connection
TON's defining feature isn't raw speed — several chains settle in seconds — it's distribution. Telegram integrated a custodial TON wallet directly into the messenger for hundreds of millions of users, and Tether launched native USDT on TON in April 2024 to ride that rail. Sending dollars inside a chat app, with the blockchain invisible, is the closest crypto has come to messaging-native payments at scale.
The chain itself is a sharded Proof of Stake design built for that scale, with blocks about every 5 seconds and fees around a cent.
What is a jetton?
Jettons are TON's token standard — the equivalent of ERC-20 on Ethereum or SPL on Solana. USDT on TON is a jetton. Wallets handle jetton mechanics automatically; what a user notices is only that TON, like Tron and Ethereum, needs a little of its native coin (Toncoin) in the wallet to pay transfer fees on tokens.
TON addresses and the exchange-memo rule
TON addresses are 48-character base64 strings, typically starting with UQ or EQ — the same account can render in either form, which confuses first-timers but is normal. The rule that actually protects money: exchange deposits usually require a text comment (memo). Pooled custodial wallets rely on it to credit your account, and omitting it means a manual recovery ticket. Personal wallet-to-wallet sends need no comment.
Stablecoins on TON
| Stablecoin | Standard | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} USDTTether USD | Jetton | Major | Tether launched native USDT on TON in April 2024; Telegram Wallet distribution took its supply into the billions |
TON deposits need a comment / memo
Exchange deposits of TON usually require a text comment (memo) to credit your account, because platforms pool deposits at shared addresses. Self-custody transfers don't need one. Forgetting the comment on an exchange deposit means a manual support recovery.
What does a TON address look like?
| Format | Looks like | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| User-friendly address | 48 characters, usually starting with UQ or EQ | Base64 format; the same account can display in multiple encodings |
Buy TON or stablecoins on TON — the #1 place to buy crypto with a debit card, wire, Apple Pay & more
Anytime Capital is a US-based money services business with thousands of customers. Debit and credit cards from every major US bank work here, verification takes minutes, and delivery goes straight to the TON address you choose.
- Wire transfer
- Cash in person
Digital assets are not FDIC-insured, are not bank deposits, and may lose value. Availability and limits subject to identity verification and compliance review.
TON network questions
About TON
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