👁 How the TON Core team views sidechains

⚫️ We’ve previously mentioned that the 2025 roadmap by TON Core includes the development of sidechains. Later, the team published a dedicated post titled “TON/TVM Sidechains Overview”, and we’d like to summarize its key points in simple terms.

⚫️ What exactly is a “sidechain”? The main idea is this: In addition to the familiar TON mainnet, it’s possible to launch additional networks that differ technically in some way (e.g., transaction speed) while still remaining connected to the main network. This would enable use cases that the mainnet’s parameters aren’t well-suited for—such as high-frequency trading, where standard transaction speeds may be insufficient.

⚫️ The TON Core team does not plan to launch sidechains themselves, as their focus remains on the main network. However, they aim to make it as easy as possible for others to create sidechains. For example, a gaming project on TON could launch its own sidechain tailored to its specific needs. To support this, the team is actively working on the necessary infrastructure.

⚫️ The post mentions TAC, a project we’ve covered before. TAC is an EVM-compatible sidechain designed to bring existing EVM applications to TON. However, the post emphasizes that the TON Core team is primarily interested in sidechains based on TON’s native TVM (TON Virtual Machine) rather than EVM or any other system.

⚫️The post also raises the question of how sidechains should exchange information with the main network, proposing three approaches:
1. Oracle-based bridge – the simplest option, but it requires trust in the oracles (which could theoretically relay incorrect data).
2. Trustless bridge – more complex but more secure (this approach was proposed in a recent contest).
3. Workchains – the most “native” solution for TON, as described in its whitepaper. However, this method requires significant development and will be available later than the others.

🪙 In Ethereum, aside from the mainnet, various Layer 2 solutions are also used. However, this has led to ecosystem fragmentation, where users must navigate multiple networks, which can be confusing. In contrast, the workchains approach aims to ensure a seamless user experience—users won’t have to manually select a network; instead, they will feel as if they are interacting with a single unified system.

@thedailyton