Given recent events, we are glad to see the TON community is standing strong.

To further tap into the TON ecosystem, Mask Network, OKX Web3, 7Up DAO, Tencent Cloud, and AWS Startups held a Demo Day on August 8. 54 applications were received, and 14 projects were ultimately selected to participate.

Background on TON and Telegram

The Open Network “TON” was initially developed by Telegram to create a decentralized blockchain platform. Although Telegram ceased its direct involvement due to regulatory issues, the project was revived by the community. TON’s services integrate deeply with Telegram, enabling decentralized storage, payment systems, and other Web3 services, positioning itself to transform digital communication and transactions on the platform. Telegram’s massive user base and TON’s growing ecosystem, which includes various decentralized applications (dApps) and services, offer significant growth potential. As of Q1 2024, there were up to 6.4 million TON blockchain accounts.

The TON Ecosystem and Gaming:
The TON ecosystem is rapidly gaining traction, particularly in the social gaming space on Telegram. It provides developers with a comprehensive tech stack to create dApps, including wallets, exchanges, bridges, and games — all integrated within Telegram. The $TON token, central to the ecosystem, powers transactions, supports governance, and incentivizes participation. As of June 2024, TON has a TVL of $600 million. The ecosystem has seen significant growth, with several games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat achieving massive user engagement. The TON Foundation has also been instrumental in supporting native dApp development, further solidifying TON’s role in the intersection of blockchain technology and social gaming.

Hackathon Highlights
The participating projects were categorized into three tracks: Infrastructure and Tools, DEX and Liquidity, and Applications. Judges evaluated the projects based on innovation, commercial and technical feasibility, market prospects, compatibility with the TON ecosystem, product maturity, and presentation. The final winning projects were Tradoor, OUTA, OutterDish, OpenAD, and Depinsim.

• Tradoor: The first Perpetual + Options protocol on TON, designed as an all-in-one trading tool specifically for Telegram users.
• OUTA: A virtual pet nurturing and social game within the TON ecosystem, scheduled for release in September.
• OutterDish: A mini-game launched on Telegram by OutterDishProtocol, where players can earn $DISH and use it in real life.
• OpenAD: Transforming in-app advertising on Telegram through blockchain and decentralized governance, ensuring verifiable and tamper-proof transactions.
• Depinsim: The world’s first decentralized connectivity infrastructure network, empowering borderless communication via crypto-native (e)SIMs.

The winning projects will receive awards, mentorship, and offline guidance from the organizers and judges. The organizers will announce further details soon.

The Hackathon demonstrated the wide versatility of dApps built on the TON blockchain and the talent attracted by its network effect. Mask Network is glad to support the innovation spurred by the growth of the TON ecosystem.