A Detailed Look at The Open Network's 2024 Roadmap: Key Upgrades in Gas, DeFi, and Staking

·

The Open Network (TON) has outlined an ambitious development plan for the year, focusing on key enhancements in scalability, user experience, and decentralized finance. The roadmap includes significant upgrades such as gas-free transactions, a revamped staking mechanism, and improved cross-chain capabilities—all aimed at supporting the network's goal to onboard millions of new users.

This article breaks down the most important updates expected on TON in the near future and explains how these changes could shape the network’s growth and utility.


Gas-Free Transactions: A User-Friendly Breakthrough

One of the most anticipated features in TON’s 2024 roadmap is the introduction of gas-free transactions. This initiative could mark a major shift in how blockchain networks operate, as no other leading chain currently offers a completely feeless transaction model.

In most blockchain systems, users are required to pay gas fees to process transactions. These fees help maintain network security by preventing spam and malicious activities. TON’s proposed model may involve subsidizing transaction costs in specific cases—such as transfers within Telegram-integrated wallets or USDT transactions—effectively removing the financial barrier for end-users.

Imagine being able to send $5 to a friend via Telegram without needing their bank details or wallet address—and without any fees. This seamless experience could significantly boost mainstream adoption, especially among those new to digital assets.


Upcoming Changes to TON Staking

Staking is a core component of TON’s security and consensus model. Several updates are planned to improve its efficiency, scalability, and user rewards.

Separation of Validators and Collators

To support its goal of onboarding 500 million Telegram users by 2028, TON is implementing sharding—a technique that splits the blockchain into smaller pieces (shards) to increase transaction throughput.

Under this new model, two distinct roles will emerge:

This separation allows the network to scale efficiently while maintaining security through random role assignment. Although this change adds complexity, it is not expected to negatively impact staking rewards for participants.

Improved Slashing Mechanisms

Slashing is a penalty imposed on validators that perform poorly or act maliciously. TON plans to optimize its slashing mechanism to better detect and penalize bad actors, thereby increasing network reliability.

Initial updates will ensure that liquid staking participants are shielded from slashing events. Later, penalties will be distributed more fairly, slightly reducing the average annual yield but improving overall system robustness.

On-Chain Governance Upgrades

Staking, liquid staking, and governance on TON are all managed via smart contracts. Enhancements to TON’s voter and configuration contracts will enable broader community participation in proposal voting, giving users more influence over the network’s future.


Enhancing TON’s DeFi Ecosystem

Several planned features aim to strengthen TON’s decentralized finance offerings and cross-chain interoperability.

TON Stablecoin Toolkit

While details are still scarce, the TON Stablecoin Toolkit is expected to enable users to create algorithmically stabilized tokens pegged to various fiat currencies. This could open the door for region-specific stablecoins—such as those tied to the Euro, British Pound, or others—facilitating easier local payments and transfers.

Given TON’s close integration with Telegram, such stablecoins could eventually be used for in-app purchases and peer-to-peer transactions.

Jetton Bridge and Native Cross-Chain Support

TON already supports bridges to Ethereum and BNB Chain, allowing users to move assets like ETH, BNB, and USDC into the TON ecosystem. The new Jetton Bridge will extend this functionality to include TON-based tokens—like staked TON (tsTON)—making them accessible on external decentralized exchanges.

Additionally, native bridges for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and BNB are in development. These will provide a trustless and efficient way to bring major digital assets onto TON.

Introduction of Extra-Currencies

Unlike standard Jettons (which are smart contract-based tokens), extra-currencies will function more like TON’s native token. They will be stored directly in user accounts and will not require contract calls for transactions, making them faster and cheaper to use.

This upgrade could allow popular assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum to circulate on TON as extra-currencies, reducing transaction costs and improving usability for DeFi participants.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will TON really offer completely gas-free transactions?
A: While not all transactions will be gas-free, TON plans to subsidize fees in certain cases—such as Telegram-based transfers or stablecoin payments—making them feeless for end-users.

Q: How will the validator-collator separation affect staking rewards?
A: Staking rewards are not expected to decrease significantly. The new model is designed to enhance scalability without compromising earnings for stakers.

Q: What are extra-currencies, and how are they different from Jettons?
A: Extra-currencies are native-like assets stored directly in user accounts, making transactions cheaper and faster. Jettons are smart contract-based tokens and involve higher gas fees.

Q: When will the Bitcoin and Ethereum bridges be available?
A: No official release dates have been announced, but these bridges are a priority in TON’s 2024 roadmap.

Q: Can I participate in TON governance through staking?
A: Yes. Updates to TON’s smart contracts will allow stakers to vote on network proposals and play a more active role in governance.

Q: Is TON suitable for everyday payments?
A: With features like gas-free transactions, stablecoin support, and deep Telegram integration, TON is positioning itself as a user-friendly platform for daily payments and micro-transactions.


Conclusion

TON’s 2024 roadmap is packed with innovations aimed at improving scalability, usability, and interoperability. From gas-free transactions and advanced staking mechanisms to cross-chain bridges and native asset support, these upgrades could significantly broaden TON’s appeal to both new and experienced users.

As the network continues to evolve, these improvements may solidify TON’s position as a leading blockchain for mass-market adoption. Whether you're interested in staking, DeFi, or simply exploring new digital ecosystems, TON offers a range of tools and opportunities worth watching.

For those looking to dive deeper into on-chain strategies and real-time analytics, you can explore more network insights here.