The Telegram Open Network (TON) encountered a substantial interruption, resulting in the cessation of block production for a duration exceeding seven hours. This occurrence has sparked apprehension regarding TON’s capacity to manage heavy traffic and uphold stability.

The disruption commenced at approximately 22:11 UTC and is particularly worrisome due to the ongoing nature of blockchains, resulting in transaction delays and heightened security vulnerabilities.

The primary reason for the downtime seems to be the introduction of the DOGS meme coin, which commenced trading on prominent platforms on August 26.

The distribution of DOGS tokens through an airdrop caused a significant increase in activity, which put a strain on the validators of the network. To resume regular operations, validators were given instructions to restart using specified configurations.

In order to safeguard customers’ transactions, prominent cryptocurrency exchanges such as ByBit and Binance temporarily halted all deposits and withdrawals of TON until the network achieved stability. Notwithstanding these operational difficulties, TON successfully sustained a somewhat steady trading value, however, the response from the community has been varied.

There is increasing worry among the community regarding TON’s capabilities to handle large-scale events. The network faced difficulties during the DOGS airdrop, managing just a maximum of 280 transactions per second (TPS), which is far lower than the previously stated capacity of 55,000 TPS.

This incident highlights the crucial requirement for strong infrastructure and adaptable solutions in blockchain networks, as effectively handling heavy traffic and unforeseen increases is vital for upholding confidence and stability.