Web3 infrastructure platform Ankr has announced integration with The Open Network ($TON
) blockchain, allowing developers to create decentralized applications (DApps) for Telegram users.
According to the October 24 announcement, integrating TON into Web3 Ankr's API services will eliminate the need to configure TON nodes, eliminating the need to spend hours developing, calibrating and troubleshooting issues.
Telegram has an estimated audience of 950 million users. Popular TON-based DApps include Telegram mini-apps such as #HamsterKombat , a click-and-play game that has been played by over 300 million people for several months.
These mini-apps utilize the TON blockchain infrastructure and are designed to run directly within the Telegram app.
Through the integration, Ankr will offer remote procedure calls (RPCs) that will allow developers to interact directly with the TON network for tasks such as executing transactions, retrieving wallet balances, and retrieving owner information. TON RPC endpoints deployed through Asphere will become part of a globally operating network of low-latency blockchain nodes.
“Because the messaging application is already so important to our industry, we'll be excited to see innovative new features come to life and the barriers to creating them are removed,” said Chandler Song, co-founder and CEO of Ankr.
The TON blockchain also offers its own RPC services, allowing developers to interact directly with the network to create DApps on Telegram. However, Ankr says its integration with the network removes the complexities of node management.
The TON Foundation, the organization behind the TON blockchain, recently selected Axelar's (AXL) Mobius Development Stack (MDS) to connect its ecosystem to 68 networks. The stack allows developers to create DApps on multiple blockchains, eliminating the need for data aggregation solutions through the interoperability layer.
In September, the TON blockchain received a $30 million strategic investment from cryptocurrency exchange Bitget and Foresight Ventures. The funding aims to accelerate the development of TON-based applications, particularly games such as Hamster Kombat and Notcoin.