**Telegram's Crypto Holdings Surge Amid Legal Challenges**

Telegram's digital asset holdings have skyrocketed to $1.3 billion in the first half of 2024, up from $400 million at the end of 2023, according to a Financial Times report. This increase is attributed to profits from selling Toncoins and a deal involving The Open Network (TON).

The messaging platform also reported $525 million in revenue for the first half of 2024, a 190% increase from the previous year. A significant portion, $353 million, came from crypto sales. However, an exclusivity deal involving TON tokens was terminated on October 1.

Meanwhile, Telegram founder Pavel Durov faced legal issues in France, impacting TON's market performance. Despite these challenges, Telegram remains one of the top downloaded apps, boasting 950 million monthly active users.