The TON Foundation announced this week that its legacy Token Bridge will permanently close on September 1, 2026. Users holding bridged assets — including Wrapped Toncoin on Ethereum or BNB Chain and j-tokens like jUSDT, jUSDC, jDAI, and jWBTC — must return them to the native TON network or to Ethereum before that date. After September 1, any assets left in bridged form will become inaccessible.
What users need to do now
The Foundation has waived all percentage-based transfer fees for the remaining withdrawal period, making the process free. Users can bridge back via bridge-v3.ton.org. Holders of Wrapped Toncoin on Ethereum or BNB Chain need to move those back to the TON network. Anyone holding j-tokens in a TON wallet must return them to Ethereum through the same bridge. The Foundation says all previously submitted user transfers have been processed, and it covered fees for unclaimed transfers.
Oracle withdrawal marks first phase
The first visible phase of the shutdown comes in June 2026, when bridge oracles will withdraw their staked TON. But the oracles aren't done yet — they'll keep processing transfers until the September 1 deadline. So users still have a few months, but the clock is ticking.
Why the bridge is shutting down
The retirement of the legacy bridge reflects the maturation of TON's native DeFi infrastructure. The announcement follows a period of serious growth for the ecosystem, including Telegram's integration of TON and Pavel Durov's broader push to revive the project. The Foundation framed the closure as a natural step as the network's own DeFi tools replace the need for a third-party bridge.
The deadline is firm. After September 1, any bridged tokens still sitting on the wrong chain won't be recoverable. Users with exposure to wrapped TON or j-tokens should move now — free fees won't last, and the oracles' stake withdrawal in June is the first warning.
