Telegram：從訊息應用程式到加密貨幣領域的主要參與者

Telegram 於 2013 年作為一款簡單的訊息應用程式推出。

Launched in 2013 as a simple messaging application, Telegram has since undergone a remarkable transformation, emerging as a major player in the cryptocurrency space. This article will delve into Telegram's journey, highlighting its origins, legal battles with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and its current role in the crypto community.

Telegram 於 2013 年作為一款簡單的訊息應用程式推出，此後經歷了顯著的轉型，成為加密貨幣領域的主要參與者。本文將深入探討 Telegram 的歷程，重點在於其起源、與美國證券交易委員會 (SEC) 的法律鬥爭，以及目前在加密貨幣社群中的角色。

Telegram Origins and Shift to Crypto

Telegram 的起源和加密貨幣的轉變

Telegram began its journey as a messaging app, renowned for its robust security features and user-friendly interface. It offered encrypted chats and supported large group chats, quickly gaining popularity among users.

Telegram 最初是一款訊息應用程序，以其強大的安全功能和用戶友好的介面而聞名。它提供加密聊天並支援大型群聊，很快就受到了用戶的歡迎。

A significant milestone in Telegram's history was the introduction of bots in 2015. This enabled users to automate tasks, manage groups, and facilitate complex interactions within the app.

Telegram 歷史上的一個重要里程碑是 2015 年引入了機器人。

As the platform continued to grow, Telegram unveiled voice calls in 2017 and video calls in 2020, further enhancing its communication capabilities.

隨著平台的不斷發展，Telegram於2017年推出了語音通話，並於2020年推出了視訊通話，進一步增強了其通訊能力。

Continuing its evolution, Telegram launched channels in 2021, providing a new avenue for users to broadcast messages to vast audiences. This tool was later expanded with stories for channels, allowing users to share ephemeral content with unique dual-camera functionality and granular privacy settings.

Telegram 繼續發展，於 2021 年推出了頻道，為用戶向廣大受眾廣播訊息提供了新途徑。該工具後來透過頻道故事進行了擴展，允許用戶透過獨特的雙鏡頭功能和精細的隱私設定共享短暫的內容。

Another notable addition was a transparent and fair giveaway system within channels, enabling users to participate for a chance to win real-world prizes.

另一個值得注意的補充是通路內透明且公平的贈品系統，使用戶能夠參與並有機會贏得現實世界的獎品。

Beyond messaging, the Durov brothers had a grander vision for Telegram - to create a decentralized platform that would revolutionize how people conducted digital transactions and communications. This led to the birth of the Telegram Open Network (TON) blockchain.

除了訊息傳遞之外，杜羅夫兄弟對 Telegram 有著更宏偉的願景——創建一個去中心化平台，徹底改變人們進行數位交易和溝通的方式。這導致了 Telegram 開放網路（TON）區塊鏈的誕生。

Developing the TON Blockchain

開發 TON 區塊鏈

The TON Blockchain project commenced in earnest with the release of a whitepaper by Pavel Durov in 2018, outlining its technological advancements and potential applications.

隨著 Pavel Durov 於 2018 年發佈白皮書，TON 區塊鏈專案正式啟動，概述了其技術進步和潛在應用。

Originally conceived to integrate cryptocurrency and blockchain features into the Telegram ecosystem, TON was designed with scalability in mind. It aimed to handle millions of transactions per second through a unique multi-blockchain architecture and sharding mechanism.

TON 最初的構想是將加密貨幣和區塊鏈功能整合到 Telegram 生態系統中，在設計時就考慮到了可擴展性。它的目標是透過獨特的多區塊鏈架構和分片機制每秒處理數百萬筆交易。

This mechanism splits the blockchain into a master chain, which governs the overall network, and multiple work chains, each capable of operating independently.

這種機制將區塊鏈分為管理整個網路的主鏈和多個工作鏈，每個工作鏈都能夠獨立運作。

To actualize this dream, Telegram sought to raise funds through an initial coin offering (ICO). Prior to that, the company had already raised about $1.7 billion from 175 investors in a private sale of its native Gram token.

為了實現這個夢想，Telegram 尋求透過首次代幣發行 (ICO) 籌集資金。在此之前，該公司已經透過私募其原生 Gram 代幣從 175 名投資者籌集了約 17 億美元。

However, this success was short-lived. Soon after the presale, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) set its regulatory sights on the platform.

然而，這種成功是短暫的。預售後不久，美國證券交易委員會（SEC）就將監管目光瞄準了該平台。

Legal Battle with the SEC

與 SEC 的法律鬥爭

In October 2019, the SEC filed a complaint against Telegram, alleging that the company had conducted an unregistered securities offering by selling Gram tokens. The commission argued that those tokens were securities and should have been registered under U.S. securities laws.

2019 年 10 月，SEC 對 Telegram 提出投訴，指控該公司透過出售 Gram 代幣進行未經註冊的證券發行。該委員會認為，這些代幣是證券，應該根據美國證券法進行註冊。

The legal battle culminated in a landmark decision in March 2020 when a U.S. federal court ruled in favor of the SEC, halting the distribution of Gram tokens.

這場法律戰最終在 2020 年 3 月做出了一項具有里程碑意義的決定，當時美國聯邦法院做出了有利於 SEC 的裁決，停止了 Gram 代幣的分發。

As a result, Telegram postponed and eventually abandoned the project in May 2020. It also agreed to return the money raised in the pre-ICO event to investors and pay an $18.5 million civil penalty.

結果，Telegram 推遲並最終於 2020 年 5 月放棄了該項目。

This decision had a significant impact on Telegram and sent shockwaves through the broader crypto industry, highlighting the regulatory challenges that blockchain projects faced.

這項決定對 Telegram 產生了重大影響，並在更廣泛的加密產業產生了衝擊波，凸顯了區塊鏈專案面臨的監管挑戰。

Once Telegram stepped back, a group of independent developers continued to build TON, now renamed The Open Network, ensuring the project's survival.

Telegram 退出後，一群獨立開發者繼續建造 TON（現在更名為開放網路），確保了該專案的生存。

Its development is now supported and guided by a non-profit organization, the TON Foundation, based in Zug, Switzerland. Steve Yun serves as the president of the TON Foundation, while Andrew Rogozov, former CEO of Russian social media site VK, is a founding member.

它的開發現在得到了位於瑞士楚格的非營利組織 TON 基金會的支持和指導。 Steve Yun 擔任 TON 基金會主席，俄羅斯社群媒體網站 VK 前執行長 Andrew Rogozov 是創始成員。

Throughout 2021 and 2022, the TON community focused on improving the network's architecture, implementing dynamic sharding, and refining its proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.

在整個 2021 年和 2022 年，TON 社群專注於改善網路架構、實施動態分片以及完善其權益證明共識機制。

Telegram’s Continued Support and Integration

Telegram 的持續支援和集成

While no longer the architect of TON's development, Telegram has continued to support the platform. For instance, in September 2023, the messaging app, boasting over 800 million users at the time, integrated the TON Space self-custodial wallet.

雖然不再是 TON 開發的架構師，但 Telegram 仍繼續支援該平台。例如，2023 年 9 月，這款當時擁有超過 8 億用戶的訊息應用程式整合了 TON Space 自我託管錢包。

This integration was followed by an introduction to an ad revenue-sharing system in March 2024, where payments were made exclusively in Toncoin (TON), the successor to Gram, fostering further engagement with the TON ecosystem.

在此次整合之後，於 2024 年 3 月推出了廣告收入共享系統，該系統僅透過 Gram 的後繼者 Toncoin (TON) 進行支付，從而促進與 TON 生態系統的進一步互動。

In September 2023, Telegram officially endorsed TON, declaring the blockchain and its associated token as the app's “official web3 infrastructure.” This move sparked investor interest and led to substantial gains for the TON token.

2023 年 9 月，Telegram 正式認可 TON，宣布區塊鏈及其相關代幣為該應用程式的「官方 web3 基礎設施」。此舉激發了投資者的興趣，並導致 TON 代幣大幅上漲。

As a result, the total value locked on TON surpassed $300 million on May 27, 2024, marking a significant milestone fueled by a community rewards program from the TON Foundation.

因此，2024 年 5 月 27 日，TON 鎖定的總價值超過 3 億美元，標誌著 TON 基金會社區獎勵計劃推動的一個重要里程碑。

Telegram’s Current Role

Telegram 目前的角色