On May 28, 2025, the tech world saw a big announcement. Elon Musk’s AI company xAI and The Open Network (TON) blockchain joined hands in a partnership that could change the way we use artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. They are bringing Grok, xAI’s AI chatbot, into Telegram. This news led to a 20-25% price jump in Toncoin ($TON), the official cryptocurrency of TON. For USA readers curious about the future of tech, here’s everything you need to know in simple terms.
What Is TON Blockchain?
TON (The Open Network) is a fast blockchain developed by the Telegram team. It’s built to handle apps like games, payment tools, and even small businesses inside Telegram. TON uses a digital currency called Toncoin ($TON) for all its transactions.
TON has grown rapidly in the past year. It jumped from 4 million users to 41 million. In March 2025, it raised $400 million from big investors. In April, Broxus launched TON Factory to help developers build apps on the TON platform. Since Telegram has over a billion users worldwide, this gives TON a big advantage. It brings crypto closer to regular smartphone users, including many in India who use Telegram daily.
What Is xAI and What Is Grok?
xAI is Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company. Its goal is to build AI that helps people understand the world better. The main product is Grok, a chatbot that competes with others like ChatGPT. It can answer questions, summarize chats, and help manage groups.
xAI has also made headlines for other reasons. It raised $6 billion in 2024 and is now worth around $50 billion. There are talks that its value might go up to $120 billion. The company set up a large data center in Memphis, USA, with 200,000 chips to train its AI. It also bought the social media platform X (earlier known as Twitter) for $33 billion.
Still, xAI has faced some criticism. Its data center has caused air pollution in nearby areas, and Grok once made a controversial error related to a sensitive topic. These issues raised concerns about safety and data handling.
What’s in the TON and xAI Deal?
Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov announced the $300 million deal between TON and xAI. For one year, Grok will be available inside Telegram. Telegram will earn 50% from any Grok subscriptions sold through the app. This is a big opportunity for both companies and explains why Toncoin’s price spiked after the news.
What Can Grok Do Inside Telegram?
Grok will help users in many ways. It can clean up messy chats, summarize long messages, and manage group chats more efficiently. It can also answer questions and check facts using data from X. For Telegram users, especially in India where large groups and long discussions are common, Grok could be very useful.
Why Is This Deal Important?
First, this will bring more people to the TON blockchain. As Telegram users try out new apps and features that use Toncoin, the demand for it could grow. Second, xAI will benefit from access to more user data (with privacy rules followed) to improve Grok. Finally, this deal shows how AI and crypto can work together, opening the door to new products and services.
What Else Is Happening with TON?
TON is not stopping here. It recently launched a $500 million fund with Libre to let people buy Telegram bonds using crypto. In April, the network hired Maximilian Crown, a former MoonPay executive, as its new CEO. He is now focusing on working with banks and regulators. TON’s goal is to have 30% of Telegram users on its blockchain by 2028.
Though Toncoin’s price dropped 46% in the last year, the xAI partnership could help it bounce back.
What’s xAI Doing Besides This?
xAI is also working with Kalshi, a platform where people can place bets on events like elections or interest rate changes. Grok will help by giving users accurate predictions. The company is also investing more in chips and power. Elon Musk has warned that AI companies could run out of electricity by 2026. xAI is also hiring aggressively and competing with big names like Google and OpenAI for talent.
Why Is This Trending?
This news is trending because it’s fresh, it connects two of the most exciting tech trends — crypto and AI — and it’s happening inside an app people already use every day. On platforms like X, people are talking about Toncoin’s price jump and how Grok could change the way we chat.
What Are the Concerns?
Some experts are worried about privacy. If Grok uses Telegram data like it uses X posts, will user data stay safe? There are also environmental concerns about xAI’s data center in Memphis. And Grok itself needs to improve, especially after its earlier mistake.
TON also faces the challenge of making Toncoin’s price more stable and continuing its user growth.
What’s Next?
Keep an eye on Toncoin’s price. Some believe it could reach ₹380 or more soon. If Grok becomes popular in Telegram, it will bring in more money for xAI and Telegram. Both companies will also need to follow global rules about data privacy and pollution.
Final Thoughts
The partnership between TON and xAI is a big step for the tech world. It makes AI more useful and crypto easier to use, especially for millions of Telegram users. For Indian users who already spend time on Telegram, this could bring new ways to chat, pay, and learn — all in one place.
This may just be the beginning of something bigger in the world of crypto and AI. Stay tuned for more updates.
👉 What to read next?
