Toncoin (TON) gained significant attention in 2024 when the tap-to-earn trend became popular. However, the momentum has diminished since then. Despite this, Tracy Jin, the Chief Operating Officer at MEXC, one of the leading global cryptocurrency exchanges, envisions TON becoming the first everyday blockchain by 2027.
Additionally, she suggests that TON’s growth trajectory could potentially rival Solana’s (SOL). In an exclusive interview, Jin shared what differentiates TON from Ethereum (ETH) and Solana and what’s next for the ecosystem’s future.
How Tap-to-Earn Trend Boosted Toncoin (TON) But Exposed Key Weaknesses
Tap-to-earn gaming was one of 2024’s leading crypto narratives, with the messaging platform Telegram transforming into a central hub for these games. Speaking to BeInCrypto, Jin acknowledged that the tap-to-earn trend had both positive and negative impacts on TON.
The trend fueled adoption and put TON into the spotlight. However, the rise proved to be unsustainable.
“The tap-to-earn wave of 2024 was a double-edged sword. It accelerated user onboarding but also exposed the limitations of attention-based models in sustaining long-term engagement,” Jin said.
She believes that for TON to regain momentum, the next phase needs to focus on more than just gamified elements. Notably, Jin revealed that the foundational elements are already in place.
She commented that there are early indications of a shift toward use cases driven by utility, especially in areas such as Telegram-integrated payments, mini-apps, and providing funding for serious developers within the ecosystem. According to her, the next steps involve enhancing real-world integration and offering better support for developers.
The COO also stressed that Telegram, as TON’s native user acquisition engine, distinguishes it from other networks and could further drive its expansion.
What Makes TON Different from Ethereum and Solana
Jin emphasized that TON’s growth strategy lies in a space that most Layer-1s struggle to reach: integrating within a native, everyday interface.
She underlined that Ethereum is the cornerstone for smart contracts, and Solana has established itself as a high-performance alternative for DeFi and consumer applications. In contrast, TON is concentrating on user adoption.
“TON is betting on a completely different future — one that’s already unfolding inside Telegram. With over 900 million users globally, Telegram is the largest active social layer in crypto — and TON is the only blockchain natively embedded into it. This isn’t just about building dApps: it’s about making Web3 disappear into the UX in the best possible way,” she stated.
She pointed out that, at present, widespread use remains a challenge for many blockchains. The executive cited Ethereum’s struggle to achieve mass adoption despite years of development as an example.
Jin added that TON is simplifying this by offering familiar tools, like Telegram Wallet, to its users. These tools enable crypto usage within chats, games, and P2P experiences.
Additionally, TON provides an effortless user experience by abstracting away common friction points like gas fees and private key storage, making it easier for people to engage with crypto.
Mini-apps integrated into Telegram, like Notcoin, Hamster Kombat, and Catizen, are also effectively onboarding millions of users, often without them realizing they’re using blockchain.
While Ethereum and other networks face challenges with complexity, TON is making crypto accessible with minimal barriers.
“If it succeeds in fully executing this integration, the high barrier to entry, which crypto is famously known for, could be significantly reduced — especially for mainstream users. It’s no longer about throughput or TPS; it’s about context, convenience, and culture. TON is building where users already are, and that could be a game-changer,” Jin mentioned to BeInCrypto.
Moreover, Jin drew attention to the fact that Telegram’s 900 million crypto-curious users give TON a significant advantage in turning the platform into a crypto-native super app. She forecasted that TON is well-positioned to onboard the next 100 million retail users, rivaling Solana’s growth.
However, its success still depends on infrastructure development and handling regulatory challenges.
Future of Toncoin (TON)
Meanwhile, the MEXC executive also shared TON’s notable milestones, highlighting strong user enrollment. She disclosed that more than 150 million accounts have been created on TON.
The network records an average of 2 million transactions per day. Moreover, there are around 2 million active monthly wallets.
In fact, TON has also emerged as a popular choice for non-fungible token (NFT) trading, largely driven by the Telegram Gifts Marketplace.
“Telegram Collectible Gifts went up in price several times in the past 30 days. TON is now the #1 blockchain by daily NFT trading volume (or #2 after Ethereum if off-chain trades are not counted),” Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, posted on X.
While these are solid benchmarks, Jin stated that they don’t make TON the most popular blockchain ecosystem, at least not yet. She predicted that if current adoption continues, the network could reach over 2.6 million daily active users in 2026 and surpass 10 million by 2027.
“By 2027, Ethereum may still lead DeFi. Solana may dominate on-chain liquidity and trading. But if TON continues its current path, it will own something else entirely: the everyday layer of the internet. A blockchain people use without thinking about it — because it’s already there, inside the apps they never close,” the executive told BeInCrypto.
Jin also gave her forecast for TON’s price, which has declined 53.1% over the past year. BeInCrypto data showed that the altcoin traded at $3.2 at press time, down 61.0% from its all-time high of $8.2.
Toncoin Price Performance. Source: BeInCrypto
Nonetheless, Jin believes that reclaiming and even going above this record high might happen in the coming years.
“Crossing the $10 mark in the next 5–10 years is plausible, but it still depends heavily on broader market cycles, regulatory clarity, and network sustainability,” she predicted.
She explained that price predictions should be based on fundamentals. However, if TON continues to expand its utility layer, attracts more developers, deepens Telegram integration, and gains wider merchant adoption, a valuation in the tens of billions of dollars wouldn’t be unrealistic.
