Nikola Plecas to Lead Payment Innovation for Telegram’s Billion-User Network
The Open Network Foundation (TON Foundation) has appointed Nikola Plecas, a former Visa executive, as Vice President of Payments to spearhead its global payment strategy. This move underscores TON’s ambition to power seamless payments for Telegram’s vast user base of over one billion people.
Shaping the Future of Payments on TON
Announced in a May 28 blog post, Plecas will be responsible for building TON’s scalable, cross-border payment infrastructure. His role includes overseeing financial partnerships, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing TON’s capabilities to serve developers, enterprises, and end users alike.
“Joining TON Foundation represents an incredible opportunity to shape the future of payments on a truly global scale,” said Plecas.
Visa Expertise Meets Blockchain Innovation
Plecas brings extensive fintech and crypto experience from his tenure at Visa, where he led numerous blockchain-related initiatives. His work included developing Visa’s digital currency engagement model for European markets and enhancing crypto on-ramps across global markets.
He also played a key role in launching crypto issuance projects and represented Visa at major industry events. TON Foundation CEO Max Crown emphasized Plecas’s leadership and expertise, calling payments a “core pillar” of the network’s growth strategy.
“With deep industry knowledge and a clear vision, Nikola brings the leadership we need to scale TON’s payment ecosystem globally,” Crown stated.
Expanding TON’s Ecosystem with Stablecoins
TON’s payment strategy aligns with its recent partnerships designed to expand digital currency access through Telegram. On May 1, decentralized stablecoin platform Ethena launched its USDe and staked USDe (sUSDe) stablecoins on the TON blockchain. Telegram users will access the sUSDe variant—rebranded as tsUSDe—for USD-denominated savings directly in the app.
Tether Integration and Multichain Expansion
Earlier in 2024, TON also integrated Tether’s USDt stablecoin using LayerZero’s cross-chain protocol. This marked a significant step in connecting the TON ecosystem with major blockchain networks like Ethereum, Solana, and Tron.
As part of its ambitious roadmap, TON plans to link with at least 100 chains to create a truly interoperable blockchain payment system tailored for Telegram’s massive global user base.
