Why did Toncoin rebrand to Gram on the TON network?
Published 6/16/2026, 1:39:02 AM
Answer
The premise of the question is reversed. Gram was the original token name (2018–2020), became Toncoin after Telegram's exit (2020–2026), and has now been rebranded back to Gram (2026). The community voted to restore the original name, not to rename Toncoin to something new.
Historical Timeline
Original Gram (2018–2020)
- Telegram launched TON (Telegram Open Network) in 2018 with the native token named "Gram"
- Raised $1.7 billion via two private SAFT rounds
- October 2019: The SEC obtained an emergency injunction halting the launch, classifying Gram as an unregistered security
- June 2020: Telegram settled with the SEC, returning $1.2 billion to investors and paying an $18.5 million penalty, then abandoned the project
Community-Led TON (2020–2026)
- Independent developers revived the open-sourced codebase
- Deliberately rebranded to "The Open Network" (TON) with token "Toncoin" to distance from Gram's legal history
- The TON Foundation (Switzerland-based) became the ecosystem's primary steward
- September 2023: Telegram elected TON as its official Web3 infrastructure partner
Why the Rebrand Back to Gram Now?
Pavel Durov stated: "Gram was the original name of TON's currency in the first white paper. We're returning to our roots — and starting a new chapter."
The rebrand represents Step 4 of 7 in the "Make TON Great Again" (MTONGA) roadmap. Key strategic drivers include:
- Brand clarity: Separating the blockchain identity (TON) from the currency (Gram)
- Telegram integration: Telegram became the largest validator with ~28.2 million TON staked
- Technical improvements: Catchain 2.0 (sub-second block finality, 10x faster) and 6x fee reduction preceded this change
- Adoption potential: Gram may become Telegram's native currency for payments, creator payouts, and Mini App transactions across ~1 billion users
Rebrand Details
| Element | Status |
|---|---|
| Token ticker | Changed ($TON → $GRAM) |
| Blockchain name | Unchanged (TON) |
| User balances | Unchanged (no swap required) |
| Smart contracts | Unchanged |
| Staking positions | Unchanged |
The community vote concluded June 8, 2026, with 81.22% approval, and the change became effective June 15, 2026.
Market Response
- Price: Rose ~19% within 24 hours (from ~$1.83 to ~$2.21)
- 24-hour volume: Surged to ~$575–763 million (more than double prior session)
- Market cap: Exceeded $22 billion
Important security note: No swap, bridge, or migration is required. Any service claiming users must "convert TON to GRAM" or "claim GRAM" is fraudulent — existing TON balances simply become GRAM automatically.
Claim Resolution
| Claim | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| c1: Toncoin was originally named Gram | Correct | Gram was the 2018 token name; Toncoin was the 2020–2026 name |
| c2: Rebranding occurred due to Telegram's exit | Partially correct | Telegram's 2020 exit caused the Gram → Toncoin change; the 2026 rebrand back to Gram was driven by Telegram's return |
| c3: Telegram abandoned TON in 2020 due to SEC litigation | Correct | SEC injunction in Oct 2019; settlement and exit in June 2020 |
| c4: Community fork renamed to Toncoin to avoid Telegram's brand | Correct | The community deliberately chose "Toncoin" to distance from Gram's legal history |
The core reason for the current rebrand to Gram is Telegram's re-engagement with the network — having become its largest validator and infrastructure partner, Pavel Durov chose to restore the original brand identity as part of a broader "Make TON Great Again" roadmap. What remains open is whether this rebranding will withstand regulatory scrutiny similar to the original Gram launch, given the SEC's prior classification of Gram as an unregistered security.