The Open Network (TON) has renamed its native token from Toncoin to Gram, reviving the original name from the network's 2018 white paper. The change marks the fourth step in Pavel Durov's 'Make TON Great Again' roadmap, a seven-part plan to expand the blockchain's reach. At the time of writing, Gram was trading around $2.02, up 5% over the past week.
The return of a familiar name
The Gram name first appeared when the network was still called Telegram Open Network. That project stalled in 2020 after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Telegram over an unregistered token sale. Telegram settled, paid a fine, and stepped away from TON entirely.
Now, more than four years later, the token is back to its original label. The transition period for the rebranding is expected to take roughly three weeks, meaning full adoption of the Gram ticker across exchanges and wallets should be complete by early-to-mid June.
Telegram's renewed role
Telegram re-entered the TON ecosystem in May 2024 as the network's largest validator, effectively replacing the TON Foundation after a six-year absence. The move came less than a year after Telegram integrated a TON-based wallet directly into its official app in 2023.
The company's renewed involvement signals a shift from its earlier legal troubles. The SEC case had forced Telegram to abandon the project, but the messaging giant now appears to be betting on the blockchain's infrastructure rather than issuing tokens directly.
The MTONGA roadmap contains seven steps in total. With the Gram rebrand complete, three steps remain. Durov has not publicly detailed the remaining phases, but the rename itself suggests a push to reclaim the network's original identity. The Gram token's price gain in the past week indicates some market optimism, though the broader crypto market has remained volatile.
The rebranding also raises questions about regulatory scrutiny. The original Gram token was at the center of a landmark SEC enforcement action. Whether the revived name invites fresh attention from regulators remains an open question. For now, the network is focused on the transition and the final three milestones of the roadmap.
