The blockchain for AI, blowing all competition out of the water is no doubt @NEARProtocol
They've been shipping one upgrade after another to prepare the infrastructure of an AI-friendly Web3
The latest of these is called Nightshade 2.0
Here is a TL;DR 👇
The main introduction to $NEAR's chain, as you guessed from the pic, is speed ⚡
$NEAR will get to 600ms block time and a 1.2s finality
That's obviously much faster than $ETH, but it also destroys $SOL by multiple Xs
The main plan behind this tech level-up remains solving the blockchain Trilemma:
▪ Scalability: Truly efficient DeFi cannot exist if the chain isn't blazing-fast like Near
Imagine all the micro-transactions LPers have to do to manage Concentrated Liquidity for example, you can't wait minutes for each of the 5/6 transactions you have to do in a row
▪ Security: Near-instant finality ensures that risks of tx reversion remain minimal
You won't have institutional players accept this risk being even close to 0.1%
▪ Decentralization: Sharding and ever-evolving architecture will maintain the power distributed
What truly sets #TON apart from other Layer 1 blockchains is how seamlessly it connects powerful infrastructure with real-world accessibility
Speaking at Web3Festival in Hong Kong, Jack Booth from TON Society laid out why $TON is uniquely positioned in today’s ecosystem
While many chains focus purely on scalability or developer tools, TON focuses on where users already are and how to remove every barrier between them and Web3
Here’s what makes @ton_blockchain different: • Scalable at the base layer, built for high-volume usage • Fully integrated with Telegram, reaching over 1 billion users • Zero-friction onboarding with no need for external wallets or apps
This native experience inside Telegram allows people to interact with crypto just like they send a message or open a link
Whether it’s playing games, earning rewards, or accessing DeFi apps, it all happens in a familiar environment—no extra steps, no learning curve
Instead of asking users to come to crypto, TON brings crypto to them
I see a $TAO movement that is at the very minimum only halfway through
$700 is basically a given at this point 💹
Consider these:
▪ $BTC is above $103K and it's going to test its ATH soon ▪ AIs are the hottest thing in the market again ▪ Bittensor has consolidated the $dTAO upgrade
What is left for us is to hold our $TAO bag and watch it soar
If you're sidelined don't worry, it'll retrace again at some point
I predict it doing it from $715 to $600 before continuing to pump above current ATH 🤷
We might see some retracement here on $SUI price, but:
- It's almost compulsory after April's ending on a God candle - We smashed through the $2.40 resistance like it wasn't even there - We successfully broke the $3 one and retested it
March showed continued strength across the @ton_blockchain ecosystem, with steady progress in infrastructure, adoption and DeFi
While others paused or shifted focus, TON pushed forward: enhancing the core network, expanding utility and attracting long-term capital
Pavel Durov’s visible support reinforced the network’s vision around privacy, ownership and usability. His alignment with #TON ’s mission helped strengthen trust in its future
Institutional confidence is growing. Over $400M in Toncoin is now held by major VCs, much of it US-based, showing clear conviction in the ecosystem’s potential
Key technical updates included: • A new Pending API for faster wallet integration • Validator upgrade adoption above 90% in under 48 hours • Expanded wallet support for NFTs and Jettons • Jetton compatibility added to the Layer 2 payment network, with atomic swaps on the way
DeFi activity continued to build: • Factorial’s TVL nearly doubled • TONCO launched ZAP to simplify LP onboarding • FIVA reached $1M in tokenized yield
Telegram-native tools are also scaling. Bots like @blumcrypto now drive over 13% of on-chain activity, making TON more accessible for everyday users
Across the board, TON is gaining traction with consistent, measurable progress
Ethena is expanding to @ton_blockchain, introducing a new kind of stablecoin to the TON ecosystem
Built for crypto-native stability, Ethena’s flagship product, USDe, is a synthetic dollar that maintains its peg not through fiat reserves, but through a delta-neutral strategy
It holds long positions in yield-generating assets like ETH and stETH, while simultaneously shorting ETH perpetual futures to hedge volatility
This structure makes USDe fully on-chain, non-custodial and free from reliance on traditional banking infrastructure
Compared to centralized stablecoins like $USDT or $USDC, USDe offers a censorship-resistant and scalable alternative that aligns more closely with the values of open finance
Its arrival on TON enables native stablecoin payments, DeFi-native savings with tsUSDe, and new opportunities for builders and users within Telegram’s fast-growing ecosystem
Rather than relying on speculation, this move strengthens the foundation for real adoption, giving $TON users access to transparent, decentralized tools that can power everyday financial use