According to Cointelegraph, the price of Toncoin (TON) experienced a significant surge of over 6% following the release of Telegram founder Pavel Durov from France. Durov had been detained in the country since his arrest in August 2024. CoinMarketCap data indicates that TON's price has increased by approximately 18% in the last 24 hours and over 13% in the past week.
The arrest of Durov in France on August 24, 2024, had a profound impact on Toncoin's value, causing it to plummet by more than 35%, from around $6.88 to $4.44 by September 2024. However, the digital asset reached a peak of $7.20 on December 4, 2024, during a historic rally in the cryptocurrency markets, which coincided with the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump. Despite this rally, TON's price later collapsed by approximately 67%, hitting a low of $2.36 on March 11, 2025.
Toncoin, the cryptocurrency of The Open Network, operates independently of the Telegram platform but has become popular among its users. The news of Durov's release was celebrated by Telegram and TON users, who viewed it as a victory for freedom of speech amid ongoing debates about online security and freedom of expression.
Pavel Durov reportedly received permission to leave France on March 13, allowing him to travel to Dubai. According to the AFP news agency, unnamed sources confirmed his departure from France, with some sources suggesting that Durov was granted permission to leave for "several weeks." It remains uncertain whether the legal case against him has been resolved in French courts or if he has been granted temporary travel time while the case is still under arbitration.
French law enforcement officials have accused Telegram of enabling illegal activities by not censoring the messaging platform, leading to charges against Durov and his detention in France as part of a bail agreement. Durov has described the arrest as unnecessary, stating that Telegram maintains a representative in the European Union to address legal requests. He emphasized that both he and the company would have cooperated with French authorities if a proper legal request had been made.
