The Open Network Foundation (TON) has officially confirmed that its native token, Toncoin, will rebrand to Gram on June 15 at 20:00 UTC. The decision follows a community governance vote that closed on June 8, with 81.22% approval.
The rebrand changes only the token’s name, ticker (from TON to GRAM), and icon. The blockchain itself will continue to operate as The Open Network without any alterations to smart contracts, dApps, or balances. Existing token holders do not need to take any action—the transition will be handled automatically by wallets and exchanges. The foundation warned that any platform requesting manual token exchanges is fraudulent.
The move marks a full-circle return to the project’s original identity. The Gram token was initially conceived as the native currency for Telegram’s TON blockchain but was shelved in 2020 after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) halted a $1.7 billion token sale, alleging unregistered securities offerings. Telegram subsequently settled, returning $1.2 billion to investors and paying an $18.5 million penalty. The community-driven TON Foundation later rebranded the token to Toncoin to distance itself from the legal battle.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov publicly advocated for the return to the Gram name earlier this year, signaling a strategic pivot to reclaim early brand equity and strengthen association with Telegram’s massive user base. The foundation views the rebrand as a step toward regulatory compliance and mainstream acceptance, honoring community governance and rebuilding trust. A three‑month transition period will allow markets to assimilate the visual change smoothly.
