Telegram is bringing back the name 'Gram' for its TON blockchain's native token, reviving a label it abandoned four years ago under pressure from U.S. securities regulators. The rebrand, announced this week, is part of a broader 'Make TON Great Again' roadmap — and the messaging company says it intends to become TON's primary validator.
Return to the original name
Telegram founder Pavel Durov said the decision was about honoring the project's roots. 'Gram was the original name of TON’s currency in the first white paper,' he stated. 'We’re returning to our roots — and starting a new chapter.' The name change had been shelved since 2020, when the SEC sued Telegram over its $1.7 billion Gram token sale, forcing the company to scrap the project and pay a fine. Now, with TON operating independently and Telegram back in the driver's seat, the old name is being resurrected.
Community vote and timeline
A community vote on the rebrand is live. If approved — and that seems likely given Telegram's influence — the transition to Gram is expected to complete within three weeks. The token, which currently trades under the ticker TON, will then carry the Gram ticker. The move has already stirred market interest: Toncoin rose nearly 20% on June 1, even as Bitcoin slid on news that Strategy sold 32 BTC, its first sale since 2022.
Technical improvements under Telegram
Telegram's renewed involvement hasn't been just cosmetic. Since the company took a leading role in TON's development, the chain is reportedly 10 times faster and fees are six times lower. Those gains matter because Telegram now serves more than 950 million users worldwide. Getting Gram integrated into in-app payments, subscriptions, and services could give the token real utility — something TON has struggled to prove in the past.
The community vote closes in three weeks. If it passes, the full switch to Gram will roll out shortly after. Telegram is also set to become TON's primary validator, a role that could centralize control but also accelerate development. The challenge now is turning name nostalgia into actual use — and keeping the chain from becoming just another token inside an app.
