Ankr announces TON blockchain integration designed to help developers build apps for Telegram

Web3 infrastructure provider Ankr has integrated with The Open Network, or TON blockchain.

Ankr said Thursday that, through the integration, it will provide a "gateway for developers to build on TON blockchain, allowing them to build dApps that unlock access to Telegram’s community of 950 million users," according to a statement.

By using Ankr's API service, developers will no longer need to "deploy or maintain their own nodes to access on-chain data" and will be able to take advantage of an "instant connection to TON blockchain," according to the statement.

Recently, the number of mini-apps and mini-games deployed on Telegram has skyrocketed . Although the TON blockchain is managed separately from Telegram, the protocol has close ties to the messaging app popular with people active in the world of crypto.

"Working with Ankr highlights our commitment to providing developers with the tools to rapidly build dApps on TON and leverage Telegram's vast global reach," TON Foundation's Director of Ecosystem Development Anthony Tsivarev said in a statement.

Since Telegram launched its native crypto wallet roughly a year ago, the ecosystem has experienced unprecedented growth. Nearly 23 million new wallets have been activated in the past year, according to TonStat . At one point earlier this month, TON also boasted more than 11 million monthly active addresses, putting it on par  with Ethereum .