TON Foundation Appoints Maximilian Crown as New Chief Executive Officer

The Open Network Foundation (TON Foundation), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the TON community, today announced the appointment of Mr. Maximilian Crown as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately.

Mr. Crown brings a wealth of experience as an accomplished entrepreneur and one of the co-founders of MoonPay, a global leader in crypto payments. As CFO and COO, he played a pivotal role in shaping MoonPay’s financial and operational functions, contributing to its growth into one of the largest crypto payment platforms worldwide. Additionally, he forged strong relationships with banks, payment companies, and regulatory bodies, establishing MoonPay as a trusted fintech leader. Mr. Crown will continue to serve on the board of MoonPay.

Picture TON Foundation Appoints Maximilian Crown as New Chief Executive Officer 2 | TON app

Strengthening Leadership Amid Institutional Interest

Mr. Crown’s appointment follows the recent appointment of Mr. Manuel Stotz as the President of the board of the TON Foundation. Mr. Stotz, founder of Kingsway Capital, brings extensive expertise in frontier market innovation and reflects the increasing institutional interest in the TON ecosystem.

In a significant development in January, the Foundation also expanded its strategic partnership with Telegram, establishing TON as the exclusive blockchain partner for the Telegram Mini Apps Ecosystem. This move underscores the mission to offer a reliable, scalable, and robust solution for users and developers, supporting the growth of Telegram’s global network. This momentum is further reflected by more than $400 million in Toncoin now held by leading U.S.-based venture capital firms, indicating strong institutional confidence in the TON ecosystem.

Explosive Growth and Strategic Roadmap

The TON Blockchain has experienced impressive growth over the past year, with active accounts increasing from 4 million to 41 million, and on-chain addresses surpassing 150 million. During this time, the number of Toncoin holders exceeded the number of wallets holding Bitcoin, and TON apps became some of the most widely used crypto applications globally — highlighting Telegram’s unmatched distribution potential.

Picture TON Foundation Appoints Maximilian Crown as New Chief Executive Officer 3 | TON app

Looking forward, the TON Foundation aims to onboard 30 percent of Telegram’s active users to the TON Blockchain by 2028. The initiative will focus on four key areas: leveraging Telegram’s native intellectual property (such as stickers, gifts, and on-chain collectibles), launching multiplayer mini-games, introducing user-friendly DeFi savings solutions, and enabling real-world crypto payments through practical applications.

“In Max, TON Foundation gains an experienced leader with a proven track record of scaling global fintech operations,” said Manuel Stotz, President of the TON Foundation. “His deep understanding of the crypto market and blockchain technology, along with his success in leading one of the largest payments companies in the crypto space, makes him a perfect fit for our objectives. I have no doubt that under his leadership, the TON ecosystem will continue to grow and thrive.”

“TON’s speed, scalability, and exclusive integration with Telegram make it unique in the blockchain space,” said Maximilian Crown. “With access to over 1 billion Telegram users, TON has an unparalleled opportunity to expand its ecosystem globally and reshape the adoption of blockchain technology at scale. I am honored to lead the TON Foundation as we take these bold next steps together — building the most accessible and widely adopted blockchain ecosystem in the world.”