TON Foundation’s Martin Masser on Driving Crypto Adoption Through Telegram

Martin Masser, Head of Growth at the TON Foundation, is spearheading an unconventional approach to blockchain adoption—embedding crypto seamlessly into Telegram’s existing ecosystem. "The goal is to remove friction entirely," says Masser, whose team leverages NFTs, stickers, and Mini Apps to onboard users who may not even realize they’re interacting with blockchain technology.

Having joined TON during its early STON.fi days, Masser recalls recognizing the network’s potential as a "hidden gem"—a scalable solution hiding in plain sight within a messaging app used by 800 million monthly active users. Today, initiatives like crypto-powered gifts and viral sticker campaigns demonstrate TON’s unique positioning at the intersection of social engagement and decentralized infrastructure.

The strategy reflects a broader industry pivot toward intuitive user experiences. While competitors focus on technical benchmarks, TON’s growth team measures success by how effortlessly grandmothers or teenagers can participate. "If we do this right," Masser notes, "the next 100 million crypto users won’t call themselves crypto users at all."