Telegram, the popular messaging app, has recently announced its decision to abandon its blockchain project, TON (Telegram Open Network), and the associated cryptocurrency, Gram. This move was not entirely unexpected, as the project had been facing legal challenges from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) since its inception.

However, the decision has sparked a debate about the company’s initial vision of creating a decentralized and censorship-resistant platform. Many have questioned whether Telegram’s pursuit of freedom and decentralization was genuine or simply a marketing tactic to attract investors.

The TON project was first announced in 2017, with the promise of creating a blockchain-based platform that would enable secure and private communication, as well as a payment system. The project raised a staggering $1.7 billion in its initial coin offering (ICO), making it one of the largest ICOs in history.

However, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Telegram in October 2019, alleging that the company had violated securities laws by selling unregistered securities. This legal battle has been ongoing, with Telegram trying to defend its project and the SEC pushing for a halt to the sale of Gram tokens.

In the end, Telegram decided to cut its losses and focus on its core messaging app, which boasts over 400 million users worldwide. The company’s founder, Pavel Durov, stated that the legal battle with the SEC had become a distraction and was hindering the development of the TON project.

While some have criticized Telegram for not standing up to the SEC and fighting for decentralization, others argue that the company made the right decision by prioritizing its messaging app and its millions of users. The fate of the TON project and the Gram cryptocurrency remains uncertain, but one thing is clear – the debate about decentralization and freedom in the tech industry is far from over.