Coinbase Ventures Turns on the Charm for Toncoin-More Like Ton-High-Fives

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In a move that could charitably be called “bold” or just plain “wacky,” the TON Foundation announced that Coinbase Ventures has decided to take a fancy to its shiny new toy, Toncoin. Because nothing screams stability like a giant with a giant wallet and a face as inscrutable as a Disgruntled Cryptographer.

  • Turns out, Coinbase Ventures has dipped its toes-and quite possibly its entire foot-into the Toncoin pond.
  • How much coin Coinbase actually threw into the pot remains a mystery-probably a classified secret, or maybe they just forgot to count.
  • Other VC firms who also fancy themselves crypto connoisseurs include Sequoia, Ribbit, and Paradigm-because obviously, everyone wants a piece of the blockchain pie.

The ecosystem is practically throwing a party, and Coinbase’s investment is the punch bowl. On Monday, August 11, the industry’s usual circus clown-sorry, Foundation-announced that Coinbase Ventures is now in on the fun, holding what we’re calling “Ton-Stock.”

“We’re thrilled-really, we’re bouncing off the walls-to share that @cbventures is now holding Toncoin. It’s like getting a gold star, but in digital form. Coinbase is a heavyweight with a knack for sniffing out winners (or so they say). By joining the ever-growing club of Toncoin holders, they’re basically waving pom-poms for The Open Network’s bright, shiny future.”

– TON 💎 (@ton_blockchain) August 11, 2025

According to the wise sages at the Foundation, this investment is more than just a pretty badge; it’s a “major vote of confidence,” or perhaps a “thumbs-up” if you prefer your optimism with a dash of caffeine. Coinbase joins other notable VC types, including Sequoia, Ribbit, and an assorted bunch of names that sound like they belong in a medieval fantasy-except instead of dragons, they have dollar signs.

Back in March, our heroine, the TON Foundation, bagged a cool $400 million from these same VC heroes-because what’s a party without a hefty infusion of cash to keep the lights on, and possibly some extra for a pizza? They bought Toncoin directly, because apparently, traditional funding rounds are so last century. It’s like investing in a startup, but the startup is the coin itself-their kind of “buy low, gamble high” approach.

In July, Bloomberg reported that the Foundation’s got grand plans-like creating a crypto treasury to hold at least $400 million in Toncoin. Because, why not? If you’re going to dream, dream big and with as many dollar signs as possible.

Leverage, Telegram, and the Wild World of Clicker Apps

Let’s face it, TON’s growth is powered by its cozy relationship with Telegram, which has over a billion users-yes, that number is real, and yes, it’s enough to make even a hedge fund jealous. The idea is to turn your average Telegram user into a crypto-enthusiast, preferably one who remembers to buy low and sell high-something most of us manage in our nightmares.

TON is the utility token for Telegram’s mini-apps-think of these as tiny, viral, blockchain-infused doodads. One such app, Notcoin, once boasted 650,000 users-because nothing says “revolution” quite like clicking on a meme and watching coins grow.

But all good things must come to an end-or at least stumble into a market correction. The hype drove the DeFi TVL (Total Value Locked, fancy talk for “how much money is in this game”) to nearly $800 million in January 2024. Now? It’s a sad $152.48 million, as users apparently got bored of clicking and moved on to the next shiny distraction. Because let’s face it, gambling with blockchain is a lot more exciting before your favorite clicker app turns into a ghost town. 💀

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2025-08-11 23:24