The TON Foundation announced the launch of Tolk 1.0, a dedicated programming language for TON smart contracts. The new language aims to offer an easier, cost-effective way to develop smart contracts and grow the network.
The TON Foundation released Tolk 1.0, the native new programming language of the TON network. The new programming language targets developers seeking easier and faster smart contract creation.
The Tolk 1.0 language arrives soon after the TON network became exclusive, only using the native TON token and in-app Stars on Telegram. The TON ecosystem remains robust, based on the usage of Telegram, and is now seeking to draw in more developers.
TON sets new standards for smart contracts
The launch of Tolk is the first instance of setting a standard language for TON smart contracts. The TON network has a specific asynchronous actor model to which the Tolk syntax is fitted.
One of the main goals of Tolk is to optimize gas usage, which has previously been a problem in events like mass token airdrops. A Tolk contract can use up to 40% less gas compared to the equivalent contracts written in FunC.
‘This is a turning point for TON developers,’ said Anatoly Makosov, Core Developer at TON Core.
‘With Tolk, writing smart contracts is now as intuitive and expressive as working with today’s leading programming languages,’ he said
The introduction of a new language tool may boost the number of smart contracts deployed on TON. In the past few months, activity shifted to a lower baseline.
TON stablecoin activity moved to a lower baseline in 2025, following the end of the airdrop season. | Source: Dune Analytics
After the initial hype of click-to-earn games and a smaller bump for meme tokens, the TON chain has seen a smaller number of monthly smart contracts. Most of the contracts are linked to jettons, the network’s native tokens.
TON aims to unlock the next wave of ecosystem growth
The TON chain has seen an outflow of users in the first half of 2025, as activity returned to baseline following the 2024 airdrop season. The launch of Tolk aims to boost contract workflow and open the opportunity for faster deployment.
The TON Foundation has also released full tooling to migrate existing FunC smart contracts and their integrations with other ecosystems.
The TON Chain has currently seen a recovery of its native token, expecting to draw attention to the ecosystem as a whole. TON rallied to $3.21 following the overall crypto recovery. However, the token is still outside the top 20 of assets. TON awaits a breakout to its previous highs, potentially returning to $7 on renewed interest in the chain’s potential.
The TON network carries $156.46 in total value locked, down from nearly $1B during peak periods in late 2024. The popularity of TON declined as Solana and other chains took up most of the meme traffic.
In the coming months, the TON Foundation still aims to evolve the project and increase its appeal for the US market. TON aims to abandon its niche usage as a platform for Russian traders and expand its influence as one of the prominent chains with widespread regulatory acceptance.
