In the race to build the next big Web3 neobank, projects are missing the point by focusing on standalone apps. Telegram and The Open Network (TON) offer a built-in audience and intuitive interface, solving crypto’s distribution challenge. The future of Web3 banking is embedded in existing platforms, not standalone apps.
Ethena’s integration into TON signals a shift towards embedding powerful tools into platforms users already trust. With over 100 million TON wallets and 1 billion-plus Telegram users, TON has solved distribution challenges in crypto. The competitive frontier is now user experience, not just features.
Telegram’s approach of embedding financial services into existing habits sets a new benchmark for usability in Web3 finance. The future of Web3 finance lies in reducing friction and making crypto flow seamlessly into users’ existing behaviors. The breakout moment will be behavioral, not technical.
TON is assembling a financial super-app ecosystem, offering access to tokenized gold and soon enabling users to hold and spend Bitcoin natively within Telegram. This new financial access layer reshapes how users interact with digital assets. The focus is on utility, not just a collection of tools.
Telegram has claimed the most important territory in the crypto space: the interface. By integrating financial services into chat, Telegram has onboarded the next billion users with minimal friction. The future of mainstream adoption lies in smooth flows, minimal friction, and finance that feels like messaging.
The next chapter of DeFi is about attention, not just APYs. Telegram’s ecosystem offers participation without a steep learning curve, bringing financial services to where users already spend their time. The era of embedded Web3 finance favors projects that focus on user momentum over standalone apps.
The road ahead for TON involves redefining how users engage with finance by integrating AI agents to simplify complex transactions and bring blockchain utility to everyday financial activities. The winners in the race to build the next Web3 neobank will be those who embed services seamlessly into existing platforms, not those who compete with standalone apps.
Read more at Cointelegraph: Telegram Is Not A Neobank