The Rise of the NFT Marketplace on TON: How Telegram, Xircus, and a New Trend Are Redefining Digital Ownership
Pavel Durov at TON Gateway in Dubai
Do you remember our article about Pavel Durov at the TON Gateway 2024 in Dubai, where he took the stage to talk about Simple Merchants on Telegram? It was a moment that turned heads. Held on November 1–2, 2024, at the Grand Hyatt, the TON Gateway conference — organized by the TON Society — drew over 2,000 attendees, quadrupling the previous year’s turnout. Durov, Telegram’s enigmatic founder, wasn’t physically there due to his legal woes in France, but his presence loomed large. A cardboard cutout of him greeted attendees, while doodles on a chalkboard hyped a Durov-inspired video game. Amid the buzz, he dropped a bombshell via remote channels: Telegram was doubling down on TON, spotlighting initiatives like Simple Merchants — a Telegram Mini App letting small businesses accept Toncoin payments seamlessly. He hinted at a future where Telegram’s 950 million users could transact, trade, and own digital assets, all powered by TON’s blockchain. Fast forward to April 2025, and that vision is exploding into reality, with the NFT marketplace on TON leading the charge.
The NFT marketplace on TON is more than a buzzword — it’s a revolution reshaping digital ownership. Fueled by TON’s high-performance blockchain, Telegram’s massive reach, and tools like Xircus, this ecosystem is democratizing NFTs for creators, collectors, and projects. From monetizing Telegram stickers to selling in-game assets, the signs of an NFT hype trend are undeniable. Let’s unpack why TON is the future, explore its killer use cases, and see how Xircus empowers anyone to launch their own NFT marketplace — potentially outshining platforms like Getgems.
TON: The Blockchain Powering the NFT Revolution
The NFT marketplace on TON thrives on The Open Network’s technical edge. Born from Telegram’s vision, TON became a community-driven blockchain after regulatory setbacks in 2020 forced Durov to step back. Today, it’s a layer-1 powerhouse, using sharding to process thousands of transactions per second. Compare that to Ethereum, where congestion can stall trades and gas fees can hit $50+ during peaks — TON keeps fees under a cent and trades instant. This scalability is the backbone of the NFT marketplace on TON, enabling everything from mass sticker minting to high-volume gaming trades.
Telegram’s 950 million users — reported in July 2024 and likely higher now — supercharge this. Mini Apps and Telegram Stars (a fiat-to-Toncoin bridge) make NFTs accessible in-app, no crypto expertise needed. At TON Gateway 2024, Durov teased Simple Merchants as a taste of this integration: merchants could sell goods via Telegram, paid in Toncoin, all on TON. That same infrastructure now fuels NFTs, turning Telegram into a Web3 gateway. The NFT hype on TON/Telegram isn’t just talk — Sticker Shop’s millions of tokenized stickers since December 2024 prove it’s happening.
NFT Use Cases on TON: From Stickers to Games
The NFT marketplace on TON isn’t chasing the old “digital art for millions” hype — it’s about practical, scalable use cases. Here’s what’s driving the trend:
Monetizing Telegram Stickers
Telegram users send 500 billion stickers monthly — a cultural juggernaut ripe for tokenization. Sticker Shop, launched December 2024 by Open Builders and the DOGS community, sells limited-edition packs as NFTs on TON. A pack like “Pudgy Penguins” (5,000 units at 50 Stars each) can net artists thousands in Toncoin upfront, plus royalties on trades. Users buy with Stars, use stickers in chats, and trade on Getgems or custom marketplaces. This utility-scarcity combo makes monetizing Telegram stickers a goldmine — and a sign of NFT hype brewing on TON/Telegram.
In-Game Assets
Telegram’s tap-to-earn games — Notcoin (35 million players) and Hamster Kombat — are NFT hotbeds. Players earn assets like a “Golden Tapper” or “Hamster King” skin, minted as NFTs on TON. These can be traded for Toncoin, adding real value to gameplay. TON’s low fees and speed support millions of transactions, unlike costlier chains. Projects can sell 10,000 NFTs at $5 each, earning $50,000, with Xircus enabling custom marketplaces for direct sales.
Digital Identities
TON kicked off NFT usernames with Fragment in 2022, fetching millions for handles like @Storm. Anonymous numbers followed, usable as Telegram logins. These NFTs blend ownership with function, a hallmark of TON’s approach.
Collectibles and Gifts
Telegram’s October 2024 gift feature (e.g., Jelly Bunny NFTs) and January 2025 art collection show TON’s range. Gifts convert to NFTs for a small Stars fee, tradable on marketplaces. Viral sharing in Telegram’s groups fuels demand — a meme NFT could jump from $2 to $20 overnight.
These use cases prove the NFT marketplace on TON is about utility and mass adoption, not just speculation. The hype is real — stickers and games are just the start.
Xircus: Your Key to Owning the NFT Marketplace on TON
Xircus is the unsung hero of the NFT marketplace on TON, simplifying deployment for anyone. Forget coding a marketplace from scratch — Xircus’s no-code platform lets you launch a custom NFT hub on TON in under an hour. Here’s how it works:
- Step-by-Step Simplicity: Join via https://t.me/xircus, connect a TON wallet, and customize your marketplace — branding, categories (stickers, games), fees — all via drag-and-drop. Deploy with one click, and your smart contract is live on TON, data secured on-chain.
- TON Synergy: Xircus leverages TON’s sub-cent fees and high throughput. A marketplace for 10,000 sticker NFTs costs pennies to launch, not thousands.
- No Middleman, No High Fees: Unlike Getgems, the go-to TON NFT platform, Xircus cuts out intermediaries. Getgems takes a cut per sale; with Xircus, you keep it all. Eigen beheer (own management) means full control — set your rules, not theirs.
- Scalable and Secure: From a solo artist to a gaming studio, Xircus scales. On-chain storage ensures your marketplace endures, unlike centralized platforms that can vanish.
Why not start your own Getgems? Xircus offers benefits Getgems can’t match: zero middleman fees (saving up to $600 million annually industry-wide, per Xircus estimates), full ownership, and tailored branding. An artist launching “Meme Lord NFTs” via Xircus could sell 5,000 units at 100 Stars each, earning $2,000-$3,000 directly, no cuts. Getgems is great for browsing, but Xircus is for building your empire.
In-Game Assets: A Profit Powerhouse for Projects
Selling in-game assets as NFTs on TON is a game-changer for projects, especially gaming ones. Here’s how they benefit — and why Xircus is crucial:
- Revenue Boost: A game like “TON Quest” could mint 10,000 NFT swords at $5 each, netting $50,000 upfront. Secondary trades (e.g., $20 resales) add 5% royalties — $1,000 monthly passive income. Xircus marketplaces keep it direct, no third-party slice.
- Engagement Surge: Tradable NFTs hook players. Earning a rare “Dragon Mount” keeps them grinding, while Telegram’s social sharing (e.g., flexing in a 50,000-member group) drives FOMO.
- Community Ownership: Players own their assets, tradable on Xircus platforms, building loyalty. A thriving community spreads the word, cutting marketing costs.
- Low-Cost Scale: TON’s fees mean minting thousands of NFTs is cheap. A small team can launch a marketplace via Xircus, rivaling big players without a big budget.
Take Notcoin: its 2024 airdrop hit 35 million players. Add NFT assets — like a “Notcoin Miner” avatar — and trades could explode. Xircus’s referral program (up to 20% fee bonuses) further incentivizes growth, rewarding recruiters. The NFT marketplace on TON turns games into ecosystems, not just apps.
The NFT Hype on TON/Telegram: Signs of a Trend
The NFT marketplace on TON is heating up, and all signs point to a trend. Sticker Shop’s success — millions minted since December 2024 — shows demand. Telegram’s January 2025 art drop and gift NFTs hint at broader adoption. Tap-to-earn games are onboarding millions, with TON’s 128 million accounts (up from 4 million in 2024) reflecting Mini App growth. Posts on X (March 26, 2025) claim every Telegram asset — usernames, gifts — will be TON-based NFTs, tying Mini Apps to TON exclusively. If true, that’s a seismic shift, cementing TON as Telegram’s Web3 spine. The hype isn’t hype — it’s momentum.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
The NFT marketplace on TON isn’t flawless. Quality is key — shallow games or generic stickers won’t cut it. Competition is rising as more projects eye Telegram’s audience. Regulatory scrutiny, like Durov’s 2024 arrest in France over Telegram moderation, looms — though his March 2025 return to Dubai eased fears, spiking Toncoin 24%. Opportunities outweigh risks: a viral sticker pack or game could onboard millions to Web3, and Xircus lowers the entry bar.
Why It Matters
The NFT marketplace on TON, fueled by Telegram and Xircus, is rewriting digital ownership. Creators monetize stickers directly, projects profit from games, and collectors trade affordably — all on a blockchain built for scale. Getgems is a solid start, but Xircus offers freedom: no middleman, geen hoge fees, eigen beheer. This isn’t just a marketplace — it’s a movement. As Durov hinted at TON Gateway 2024, TON and Telegram are the gateway to Web3 for millions. The NFT hype on TON/Telegram is here — don’t miss it.
Ready to launch your NFT marketplace on TON? Xircus is the low-code/no-code infrastructure to build Telegram Mini Apps on TON, empowering you to create without limits.
And just as effortlessly as you can create NFT marketplaces on TON with templates, you can also build your own launchpad — check out how Xircus powered the TON Launchpad: Parachute in this case study:
Join Xircus at https://t.me/xircus and turn your vision into a Web3 reality today — no coding required!
