The Open Network (TON) has gained significant attention for its potential to revolutionize blockchain technology. Originally developed by Telegram, it was later handed over to the community, which has accelerated its growth. Today, TON thrives thanks to the collaborative efforts of developers, investors, and enthusiasts.
As a decentralized platform, TON emphasizes high scalability, transaction speed, and security. The community plays a crucial role in its development by creating new tools, applications, and decentralized solutions, including DeFi projects, gaming platforms, and Web3-based social apps.
One of the standout events for the TON ecosystem in 2024 was the “The Open League Hackathon”, which offered a $2 million prize pool. Among the successful participants was Dmitry Kisel, who created “TON Portfel”—the first portfolio tracker for the TON ecosystem. His project earned him finalist status in the DeFi category and a $20,000 prize, establishing TON Portfel as a crucial tool for asset management within the ecosystem.
In a recent interview, Kisel shared insights about the TON community’s role in blockchain innovation and his project’s development. According to him, the community has been instrumental in driving the development of key products and solutions, constantly working on improvements that make the platform more scalable and accessible.
“The most significant contribution of the community is its ability to quickly adapt to challenges and offer innovative solutions,” Kisel explains. “With the open nature of the blockchain, developers share their ideas, knowledge, and code, which greatly accelerates the implementation of new features.”
The host asked Dmitry: What do you consider the most significant initiatives and projects launched by the community, and how have they contributed to the expansion of the TON ecosystem?
Dmitry Kisel replied: There have been a few key initiatives that I believe stand out:
1. Awesome TON: A curated library of resources for developers, simplifying smart contract development and attracting newcomers to decentralized apps and services.
2. TON DeFi: Community-supported DeFi projects, including decentralized exchanges and liquidity pools, enhance user interaction with financial products and boost Total Value Locked (TVL), strengthening the ecosystem.
3. TON Grants and Hackathons: Organized by the community and TON Foundation, these events attract new developers and foster innovation. The Open League Hackathon alone yielded hundreds of projects and a $2 million prize pool, contributing valuable tools like TON Portfel.
These efforts not only accelerate technological progress but also expand the TON ecosystem by drawing in new participants and creating useful resources.
Host: Let’s turn to your project, TON Portfel. How did the idea for it come about, and what are the key features it offers users for managing assets on the TON blockchain?
The idea for TON Portfel emerged from a real need we saw in the ecosystem,” explains Kisel. “Users lacked a single tool to track their various assets—staking, liquidity, and rewards—in one place.”
TON Portfel solves this by providing a centralized solution that displays real-time asset information and historical data, allowing users to track their investment performance. With an intuitive interface and continuous community feedback, TON Portfel keeps evolving to meet user needs through new features and improved analytical tools.
Host: What lessons from your experience at companies like Chainstack and Forta Foundation have you applied to the creation and development of TON Portfel?
Dmitry Kisel: I’ve drawn several key lessons from my work at Chainstack and Forta Foundation, which have proven invaluable for the creation and growth of TON Portfel.
The first lesson is the importance of building high-load, scalable systems. At Chainstack, I worked on infrastructure that handled billions of requests per month, and I learned how to design solutions capable of handling immense loads. I applied this knowledge to TON Portfel, ensuring that the system can operate stably even with a large number of users and transactions.
The second lesson revolves around resource optimization. At Forta Foundation, I was focused on reducing infrastructure costs and improving resource efficiency. This experience helped me implement resource-saving principles in TON Portfel without compromising performance. We’ve integrated solutions that allow the system to run fast and efficiently, even with limited resources.
Lastly, monitoring and analytics are critical. At Chainstack, we used tools like Prometheus and Grafana for monitoring, which enabled us to quickly detect and resolve issues. I’ve applied the same approach to TON Portfel, ensuring high system stability and quick responses to potential problems.
Host: How has participation in hackathons influenced the development and promotion of the project?
Dmitry Kisel: Hackathons have been a key platform for testing the idea and attracting community attention. Moreover, success in hackathons helps draw the interest of investors and expands our network of contacts.
Recognition on the international stage, as we saw with The Open League Hackathon, attracted new users and partners, which contributed to the growth of TON Portfel’s user base and popularity. By participating in such events, the project has gained not only material resources but also moral support from the community, which has strengthened its market position and driven further growth.
Host: What do you see for the future of TON Portfel, particularly in terms of integration with other blockchain networks and new features?
Dmitry Kisel envisions TON Portfel as a super-app and a single entry point for DeFi interactions on the TON blockchain. It aims to be an essential tool for Telegram users, facilitating sophisticated DeFi technology within a user-friendly interface.
Features in development include automated investment solutions, staking via smart contracts, risk analysis tools, and integration with NFT platforms. The goal is to create a comprehensive asset management platform that ensures simplicity, transparency, and accessibility for all users.
