Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s ongoing legal pressures with the French authorities have significantly impacted Toncoin, a cryptocurrency closely associated with the media platform. Amid escalating legal woes for Durov, the Toncoin price is facing difficulty in rebounding from its lower levels. As the Russian billionaire’s contentious battle with Russia continues to unfold, the community is closely watching the token’s movements to see if it manages to escape the negative zone.
Toncoin Price Continues to Slip
For a prolonged period, the Toncoin price has been trapped in a negative zone, struggling to break out of it. After hitting an all-time high of $7.7 in June 2024, the crypto started falling, reaching a severe low of $2.5. Since the start of 2025, Toncoin has been trading in red, caught within a lower range of $2.5-$5.1.
At press time, the token is trading at $3.16, marking a slight hike of 0.96% in a day. However, over the past week and month, the altcoin has seen notable dips of 2.4% and 6.3%, respectively. The 24-hour trading volume is also down by 13%, currently at $174.72 million. With $8.13 billion market cap, the token is secure at the 21st spot on CoinMarketCap.
$558M Reserve Strategy Didn’t Pay Off
In a recent development, the Las Vegas-based Verb Technology Company announced its staggering $558 million Toncoin Reserve Strategy. The company also plans to rebrand as TON Strategy Co., with a broader vision of expanding its TON reserves.
The funding round involved about 110 investors, including Kingsway Capital, Vy Capital, Blockchain.com, and others. The funding event will close by August 7, and the platform will utilize it to buy TON to become the largest Toncoin treasury company.
Despite this strategic deal, the Toncoin price fell significantly on the same day. Marking a major dip of 7%, the token plummeted to $3.37. While many believed that the price would surge afterwards when the market digests this development, the coin remained stable at the same level without much movement.
New Leadership, But No New Momentum
Another major development that sparked optimism within the community was the appointment of Maximilian “Max” Crown as TON Foundation’s new president and CEO. His solid financial background and strong connections made him a perfect candidate for the role.
The Toncoin community was confident that the incident could push the coin upward. However, it couldn’t make any impact on the token, with its price sliding to $3.24.
Pavel Durov’s Legal Struggles Sink Toncoin?
Assumably, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s legal issues in France have critically impacted the Toncoin price. Durov was arrested in August 2024 at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France, over allegations of his involvement in the serious crimes performed by Telegram users. The Police argued that Telegram’s lack of content moderation made Durov complicit in various crimes, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, and organized crime.
The TON Society condemned Durov’s arrest as a “direct attack on fundamental human rights.” Whistle-blower Edward Snowden slammed French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of “hostage taking” in a bid to gain access to private communications.
Now, even after one year of his arrest, the investigation sees no significant progress, with Durov’s legal woes being intensified. He recently stated, “So far, the only outcome of my arrest has been massive damage to France’s image as a free country.”
Thus, it could be said that the Toncoin fortune began to change for the worse after Durov’s arrest. While the price stood almost steady till August 2024, it started to decline thereafter. As legal concerns surrounding the Telegram CEO intensify, TON continues to suffer, failing to capitalize on major ecosystem developments.
