"The Founder of TON: The Tumultuous Life of Pavel Durov"

I. Pavel Durov's Tech Empire

The Rise of VKontakte: Russia's Facebook

VKontakte, the Russian version of Facebook, was founded by Pavel Durov in 2006 as a social networking platform. In an environment with almost no internet regulation, VK rapidly grew in Russia and other former Soviet countries, quickly amassing over 100 million users. Pavel Durov is a mysterious and controversial figure, often drawing attention for his management style and public actions, such as the incident in May 2012 when he threw cash out of the VK office window.

In early 2012, during large-scale anti-Putin protests in Russia, Pavel Durov refused to shut down groups on VK that were used to organize the protests, a decision that made him a hero in the eyes of the liberal opposition. However, as VK's influence grew, the Kremlin began to increase its focus and control over the internet. In 2013, Pavel Durov was wanted by the police due to a traffic incident; although the charges were later downgraded, it was widely seen as a political attack.

In the same year, pro-Kremlin oligarch Alisher Usmanov began acquiring shares of VK. Despite Pavel Durov's initial strong opposition, he eventually sold his shares in January 2014. In April 2014, Pavel Durov announced his departure from VK, stating on his personal VK page that since the ownership structure had changed, his freedom to manage the company had significantly decreased, making it increasingly difficult to uphold the principles of the social network.

Despite losing its founder, VK maintained its dominant position in the Russian social media market. However, over time, some elite individuals in Russian cities began to shift from VK to Facebook, even though VK still held a larger market share.

The Birth of Telegram: A Global Encrypted Messaging App

Telegram was launched in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov, the founders of VKontakte. Their goal was to create a messaging app focused on speed, security, and privacy. The core idea of Telegram stemmed from the political pressures and government surveillance the Durov brothers faced while operating VK, prompting them to create a platform free from government interference.

Telegram features end-to-end encryption and a decentralized infrastructure to ensure the security of user data. The app first debuted on iOS in August 2013, followed by the Android version. Telegram quickly gained popularity, attracting a large user base with its open-source nature and unique features such as self-destructing messages, large file transfers, and a bot platform.

As Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp raised privacy concerns, Telegram's user base surged. By February 2014, it had reached 100 million monthly active users. The app continued to innovate, introducing features like supergroups, channels, and voice calls, further expanding its influence.

However, Telegram's privacy policies have also sparked controversy. In 2018, the Russian government attempted to ban Telegram but failed to completely stop its use. The platform has also faced criticism for being exploited by some criminal organizations, although the company insists on maintaining user privacy.

Despite the challenges, Telegram has continued to grow rapidly. In January 2021, after WhatsApp modified its privacy policy, Telegram gained 25 million new users in a short period, bringing its total user count to over 500 million. By 2023, it had surpassed 700 million monthly active users, becoming one of the most popular apps globally, especially in regions that prioritize privacy and face censorship.

Telegram's success is largely attributed to Pavel Durov's vision and Nikolai Durov's technical expertise. Pavel is known for his staunch defense of user privacy, while Nikolai developed the MTProto protocol that underpins Telegram's secure messaging.

II. The Turning Point of the TON Project

Founder Arrested: Durov's Counterattack

Durov's Arrest Incident (August 25, 2023)

Pavel Durov was arrested by French police at Le Bourget Airport in northern Paris. He was accused of failing to effectively manage the Telegram platform, leading to the proliferation of illegal activities such as terrorism, money laundering, and drug trafficking. As a Russian-born French citizen, Durov was granted bail but required to remain in France and report to the police regularly.

Russian Government's Reaction (August 25-29)

The Russian government expressed concern over the matter. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Durov holds Russian citizenship and expressed a willingness to provide necessary assistance. The Russian side also warned France not to politicize the case, or it could be seen as "political persecution."

Initial Response from the Cryptocurrency Community (From August 29)

The TON Society launched a petition calling for French authorities to release Durov, quickly gathering over 2 million signatures. This demonstrated widespread support for Durov within the crypto community.

Support from VC: Industry Confidence in TON

Positive Response from Investors

Subsequently, several well-known investors began to publicly support the TON project:

• PG co-founder Shan purchased 38,282 TON at an average price of $5.22, totaling approximately $200,000.

• Notable investor Zhu Su announced he bought TON at $5.80 and expressed optimism about related projects.

• DWF Labs partner Andrei Grachev purchased about $500,000 worth of TON tokens, pledging not to sell until Durov is released.

Support from Industry Leaders

• Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu publicly expressed support for the TON community, emphasizing the importance of decentralized technology in resisting censorship and maintaining freedom.

Symbolic Actions of the TON Project

• The TON project changed its logo on CoinGecko and social media to "Resistance Dog," symbolically expressing support for Durov.

This series of events reflects the cryptocurrency community's heightened attention and strong reaction to Durov's case. From diplomatic warnings at the government level to grassroots petition campaigns and investors' concrete actions, the support has gradually intensified. This not only reflects support for Durov as an individual but also underscores the crypto community's commitment to decentralized ideals and freedom of speech. The TON project gained unexpected exposure and support during this process, with its token price experiencing a slight increase, indicating a positive market reaction to the event.

Future Development Inference Test for the TON Ecosystem

On the day of Telegram founder Pavel Durov's arrest, the market value of the TON project did experience a drop of about 20%, reflecting the market's initial panic response to this sudden event. However, as the situation developed and the cryptocurrency community responded positively, the TON project is likely to experience a rebound.

In the short term, we may see the following scenarios:

1) Sympathy Purchases: Due to community support for Durov, there may be a wave of "sympathy" purchases, driving the price of TON tokens up rapidly in the short term.

2) Increased Exposure: This incident brought significant attention to the TON project, potentially attracting more investors and developers to join the ecosystem.

3) Enhanced Community Cohesion: In the face of external pressure, the TON community may become more united, benefiting the project's long-term development.

However, in the long term, the development of the TON project will primarily depend on the following factors:

1) Legal Risk Management: The project team needs to effectively address potential legal challenges to ensure the project's compliance.

2) Ecosystem Expansion: Attracting more developers and applications into the TON ecosystem to enhance the network's utility and value.

3) Risk Diversification: Avoiding over-reliance on the Telegram platform and developing independent application scenarios and use cases.

Overall, while TON may benefit from this event in the short term and experience a surge, its long-term development will still depend on the project team's ability to manage risks, innovate technologically, and build the ecosystem. If TON can effectively manage the current crisis and turn it into a driving force for project development, this incident could become a turning point toward broader adoption for TON. However, if the project team fails to properly address potential legal and regulatory challenges or cannot maintain the pace of technological innovation, the current positive effects may gradually fade, and the project will face greater uncertainty.