TON blockchain cuts transaction times to 1 second with Catchain 2.0 upgrade

The Open Network (TON) blockchain has reduced transaction settlement times from about 10 seconds to 1 second with its new Catchain 2.0 consensus upgrade. This improvement enables near-instant trades and decentralized app operations at speeds comparable to traditional apps, boosting validator rewards and increasing annual inflation from 0.6% to 3.6%. Integrated with Telegram, which has over 1 billion users, TON's faster speeds enhance crypto payments and trading within the messaging app, supporting features like self-custodial wallets and perpetual futures trading. This upgrade strengthens TON's network and staking incentives, potentially increasing its adoption and market activity.