The Costless TON customs, an independent grouping of software developers, validators and users are launching the "Free TON Blockchain" today, May 7.

The blockchain would appear to exist based on the Telegram Open up Network, the blockchain originally created by encrypted messenger app Telegram.

The TON customs had previously declared that information technology would release the network, despite Telegram'due south long-running legal dispute with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the agency'southward continuous efforts to block the network's launch.

According to an announcement shared by TON Labs, the community will launch the Free TON Blockchain along with free "TON" tokens to be distributed to users.

Pavel Durov'south Telegram can "no longer be involved" in the project

Past launching both the network and tokens independently from Telegram, the Free TON community positions the network as a "provably decentralized blockchain." The Free TON blockchain will be maintained and validated by a network of independent, not-hierarchical members working on the principles of the Declaration of Decentralization (DOD). The DOD is the primary document that governs the Complimentary TON Community'southward operations and is available at the project's website freeton.org.

Today's launch comes despite an credible decision by Telegram'due south CEO Pavel Durov to delay the TON launch for April 2022. The Gratis TON Community says that Telegram "can no longer be involved" in the project:

"Legal proceedings in the U.S. hateful that Telegram, the initial creator of TON (Telegram/The Open Network) blockchain, can no longer exist involved [...] Nosotros hope that Free TON will promote the values of the free market, personal data protection, decentralized governance, censorship resistance and cooperation effectually the world."

U.S. members can't join the community for at present

According to the Free TON Community, anyone tin become role of the network by simply signing the DOD. However, people and organizations in the U.Southward. are initially unable to join the network at this stage, the community said. The Free TON Community promised that U.S. entities will be role of the network someday:

"Even so, equally we grow to accomplish full decentralization, all such barriers will be removed organically. There volition no longer be whatever centralized potency in a position to fifty-fifty endeavour to answer questions about who tin or cannot join."

In conjunction with the launch, the Free TON Community is immediately hosting an online launch briefing on YouTube at eight:00 a.m. EST.

The news comes soon later on TON Labs revealed their plans to open source major components of TON OS on GitHub today. TON Os is designed to human activity as an operating organization for the TON blockchain and is expected to be available equally gratis software for major devices like iPhones, Android-based smartphones and PCs.