Crypto: TON Confirms Its Golden Visa Project Is Still in Early Development

When the crypto world dreams of physical anchoring, it sometimes gives birth to projects as bold as they are vague. The latest one? An initiative by the TON Foundation aiming to offer a 10-year Golden Visa to Toncoin investors. The idea, appealing on paper, was quickly cooled down by a sharp denial: the authorities of the United Arab Emirates never approved the program. Behind the announcement effect, it is the whole tension between decentralized innovation and state sovereignty that resurfaces.

A Dubai Dream Cashed In a Little Too Quickly

The mention of the idea of a golden visa linked to BNB by CZ ignited the community. This nod to the TON network initiative, which offers a 10-year visa in exchange for staking in Toncoin, reignites the debate on the practical use of cryptos. Accessing residency in the Emirates via crypto? The concept intrigues as much as it questions, caught between the strategy of tax attraction and regulatory void.

In the ultra-connected universe constantly seeking legitimacy in crypto, some projects flirt with institutional speculation. On July 6, the TON Foundation, spearheading the blockchain linked to Telegram unveiled an unprecedented program: a long-term residency visa for anyone investing $100,000 in Toncoin and paying $35,000 in fees. An appealing proposal in a country that attracts digital capital with flexible tax policies and a technological hub image.

But the dream quickly took on mirage-like qualities. The Emirati government, cautious, clarified that no official partnership had been signed with TON. In other words, the Foundation was selling a promise whose realization still depends on the will of the authorities.

Will Binance take the plunge or wait for official green light? Meanwhile, the TON initiative seems mostly to have tested the limits of what is possible or not in the bridges between decentralized finance and national sovereignty.

Regulatory Mirage and Crypto Optimism

The ambition to combine prestigious residency and crypto staking fits into a broader trend: monetizing digital influence in the real world. But regulation, especially in the United Arab Emirates, is not variable geometry.

The rules to obtain the Golden Visa are strict: real estate investment, entrepreneurship, or certified talents. Cryptocurrencies? For now, they are on a parallel path, not yet recognized for opening the doors of long-term residency.

The Peravel agency, partner of the TON project, claims however that refused applications would be fully refunded. Its CEO, Ehsan Sattari, highlights an approval rate above 95% on other international programs. But this displayed confidence seems to struggle to compensate for the current regulatory vagueness. Because in the Emirates, nothing is approved without formal approval from the authorities, and this also applies to crypto initiatives.

Behind the marketing announcement, it is therefore a form of experimentation at play, where the web3 tries to enter the very square frame of migration law. A full-scale test, certainly, but with no guarantee of success.

This false start is not a failure in itself. It rather marks a friction point between the aspirations of the crypto world and institutional reality. The TON Foundation still hopes to evolve mentalities, proposing frameworks compatible with regulation. But experience shows once again that crypto adoption cannot happen without patience or compromise. Meanwhile, the market continues to evolve. Here are the 3 key elements to watch this week for Bitcoin.