TON’s UAE Golden Visa Program — Bridging Crypto and Real-World Assets
Real-World Assets (RWA) and TON: Real-world assets (RWAs) like bonds and real estate are increasingly being brought “on-chain” through tokenization. The Open Network (TON) — a blockchain originally developed by Telegram — has embraced this trend. In July 2025, the TON Foundation announced a groundbreaking RWA initiative: a pathway to a 10-year UAE “Golden Visa” residency for crypto investors. Under this program, applicants stake $100,000 worth of Toncoin (TON) for 3 years and pay a one-time $35,000 processing fee to secure long-term residency in the United Arab Emirates. Notably, the staked TON remains under the investor’s control via a decentralized smart contract (i.e. funds are not spent but locked), and even accrues an estimated 3–4% annual yield during the lock-up period. This provides a capital-efficient alternative to traditional residency-by-investment routes. Furthermore, TON’s crypto-backed visa covers immediate family members (spouse, children, parents) at no extra investment cost (aside from standard government fees). Approval is promised in under ~7 weeks, significantly faster than conventional processes. By lowering barriers and preserving investors’ liquidity, TON’s Golden Visa initiative exemplifies how tokenization can unlock real-world benefits — bridging the physical and digital worlds with real value.
Why TON’s Visa Offer Matters — Lower Barriers and Higher Utility
Traditional UAE golden visa options usually require large illiquid investments (e.g. >$540,000 in real estate or deposits), pricing out many applicants. TON’s crypto route slashes that entry cost by ~80% (requiring only $100K stake). “The entry is 5× lower than an equivalent real estate investment and will certainly get the attention of whales,” noted Bobby Ong of CoinGecko. In other words, affluent individuals who might balk at tying up over half a million dollars in property could find TON’s offer far more accessible. This boosts TON’s utility, potentially attracting new large token holders who are motivated by real-world perks (residency) rather than just speculative returns. It’s a striking example of crypto being used as a direct investment vehicle for government programs — something historically done via cash, stocks or property. The program aligns with the UAE’s ambitions to become a global blockchain hub: local regulators have been actively supporting tokenization of real assets (recently even updating Dubai’s rules to explicitly allow tokenized real estate and other RWA trading). By leveraging TON for residency, the UAE is signaling openness to integrate crypto into its economic development strategies, potentially setting a precedent for other nations’ “golden visa” schemes.
Market Reaction: Toncoin Price Surge and Crypto Community Response
The immediate market response to TON’s announcement was emphatic. Toncoin’s price jumped roughly 10–12% in a single day, rising to about $2.9–$3.0 following the news. Trading volumes exploded — over 250% above the 30-day average — indicating a surge of investor interest. (This spike interrupted a longer downward trend: TON was still ~60% below its year-ago levels prior to the news, reflecting how transformative news can spark a short-term reversal in sentiment.) Markets clearly interpreted the visa initiative as bullish for TON’s demand and utility, as crypto holders might accumulate TON to participate. Observers like Ong called it an “amazing story” that could provide strong buy support for TON if whales indeed move in. The price action (see chart above) showed confidence from investors that TON is creating tangible value beyond the usual crypto use cases.
At the same time, the crypto community’s reaction was mixed. Enthusiasts praised the innovation and the UAE’s crypto-friendly stance, but skeptics urged caution. Importantly, it emerged that this Golden Visa program is facilitated by a private UAE-based firm in partnership with TON, rather than an official government-run crypto visa portal. Critics pointed out that applicants are essentially using TON as a proxy for a standard entrepreneur visa application — the UAE government still must approve each case, and TON staking is not a government mandate but a creative way to meet existing criteria. In theory, any cryptocurrency could have been used in such a scheme, so some argued this is more of a marketing-driven utility for TON than a state-sanctioned crypto integration. These doubts introduced some caution: Is the partnership officially endorsed by the UAE, or simply leveraging a loophole? Even Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, co-founder of Binance, weighed in — he lauded TON’s founder Pavel Durov for the idea but emphasized “trust but verify,” noting no government website had confirmed the plan at the time. The lack of an explicit public endorsement from UAE authorities means the crypto world is watching closely to see if promised visas are indeed delivered in practice. Nonetheless, the concept’s success could be game-changing: if the model proves reliable, it may encourage more countries to consider crypto assets in their investment immigration programs. (Notably, a few smaller nations already accept crypto indirectly — e.g. Vanuatu and Dominica allow investment via crypto conversions for citizenship — but TON’s initiative is among the first to natively integrate a token staking mechanism into a residency offering.)
Binance’s BNB and the Prospect of a Similar Golden Visa
One of the most intriguing ripple effects of TON’s announcement is the attention it drew from Binance’s Changpeng Zhao (CZ). Binance Coin BNB is a much larger crypto asset by market cap, and CZ publicly expressed interest in pursuing a similar residency-by-crypto plan using BNB. He indicated that if TON’s UAE visa program is indeed authentic and viable, he will “attempt to promote BNB to also participate in a similar plan.” This hints at a possible future where BNB holders might stake their tokens to obtain long-term visas — whether in the UAE or potentially other crypto-forward jurisdictions. A comparative outlook suggests that if BNB were used in such a scheme, the impact could be even more significant given BNB’s broad user base and liquidity. BNB powering a visa program would instantly bring the concept to millions of Binance users globally, potentially making crypto-backed visas a mainstream idea. We might expect a strong market reaction as well: much like TON’s 10%+ jump, BNB’s price and demand could rise on news of new utility and locked-up supply (though as a top-5 coin, its percentage moves might be more muted). More fundamentally, a BNB visa initiative would further validate crypto as an investment class for real-world privileges, cementing the trend that TON started. Of course, executing this will require navigating regulatory approvals. CZ himself cautioned that an official government partnership is ideal — the UAE (or any host country) would likely need to explicitly endorse the BNB visa program to match the credibility of traditional investor visas. If Binance can secure such backing, it would mark a major milestone in RWA adoption: one of the world’s largest crypto networks directly interfacing with national immigration policy. In summary, TON’s pioneering move may not remain unique for long — we could soon see competitive offerings (BNB or others) as crypto platforms race to connect high-net-worth investors with countries courting their capital.
Toncoin Technical Analysis: Post-Announcement Price Levels
After the Golden Visa news, TON’s price action and technical indicators reflected the sudden shift in market momentum. Some key technical highlights include:
- Breakout Rally: Toncoin surged from roughly $2.75 to $3.06 at the peak of the news-driven rally, a +12.4% intraday swing. The spike occurred rapidly — starting early on July 6 — as buying volume spiked dramatically. In the 7:00–8:00 hour (UTC) that day, volume shot up to nearly 13 million TON, and an extraordinary 57.5 million tokens traded in the next hour, propelling TON to its high. This burst of activity far exceeded normal trading levels, confirming a technical breakout from the prior range.
- New Support Level: Following the surge, TON pulled back slightly and found support around $2.86–$2.89. High-volume buying emerged in this upper-$2.80s region, suggesting many traders were comfortable entering at that price after the news. This area now represents a near-term support zone, as dip-buyers prevented the price from falling further, stabilizing TON’s uptrend.
- Resistance and Range: On the upside, TON hit resistance near $3.03–$3.06, marking a ceiling for the post-news rally. The quick retreat from just above $3.00 indicates profit-taking there, and TON has since been ranging roughly between the high-$2.8s and ~$3.0. This defines a new trading range: roughly $2.85 (support) to $3.05 (resistance) in the short term. A decisive break above $3.06 would signify another leg higher, whereas a drop below $2.85 could signal the news boost is fading.
- Momentum and Volume Signals: The fact that TON held most of its gains into the session close on July 6 is a positive technical sign. Even after cooling from the peak, it closed around $2.89 (still +5% on the day) with sustained volume. Volume remained elevated (over 250% of average) throughout the day, and even a late-session push saw TON jump ~2.4% in an hour on renewed buying. These patterns suggest that momentum traders jumped in and that the market is attempting to consolidate at a higher price floor. Traders will be watching if TON can build a base in the $2.8–$2.9 area; doing so could presage another attempt to clear the $3.03 resistance, while failure to hold support might trigger a deeper retracement (next support might lie in the mid-$2.5s, near pre-rally levels).
Overall, TON’s technical landscape in the wake of the RWA news is cautiously optimistic — the token broke out on huge volume and is holding above previous support levels, but it must tackle overhead resistance to extend the rally. Indicators like RSI and moving averages (on shorter timeframes) likely flipped bullish during the surge, though extreme overbought conditions could require a brief cooling-off. Maintaining the recent gains in coming days will be key to confirm a true trend reversal prompted by this news, rather than a one-off spike.
Strategies for Trading TON’s Volatility on PowerTrade
The excitement around TON has not only moved the spot market but also invigorated the options market, particularly on the PowerTrade platform. PowerTrade , and its DEX platform PowerDEX— which offers a wide range of altcoin options — saw TON climb into the ranks of its most traded optio
ns as traders rushed to capitalize on the volatility. Here are some of the best trading strategies observed (and how they can benefit traders) for Toncoin during this turbulent period:
- Volatility Straddles/Strangles: Many sophisticated traders entered straddle or strangle positions on PowerTrade leading into and during the announcement. This involves buying both call options and put options (often at ATM or straddling the current price) to bet on a large move in either direction. This strategy paid off handsomely — TON’s whipsaw action (spiking to around $3.15 then dipping to $2.80) meant that at various points one or both sides of the straddle gained significant value. By positioning for volatility itself (rather than a specific direction), traders profited as implied volatility spiked and TON swung sharply on the news. Such long-volatility plays are ideal when one anticipates big news but is uncertain of the price direction.
- Buying Call Options on Dips: After TON’s initial spike and brief pullback, bullish sentiment among options traders remained strong. Many call buyers “bought the dip” by snapping up call options when TON retraced under $2.80. Notably, there was heavy activity in short-dated calls around $3.00 and $3.50 strikes (expiring over the next week), with hundreds of contracts trading. These traders were effectively leveraging a bet that TON’s rally would resume — by paying a relatively small premium for calls, they stood to gain outsized returns if TON rebounded above those strike prices. This strategy reflects a bullish outlook with limited risk (the premium paid), allowing traders to participate in further upside without committing large capital to TON itself. Indeed, the influx of call buying after the dip shows options traders viewed the pullback as an entry opportunity rather than a reversal of trend.
- Protective Puts and Short-Term Hedges: On the flip side, some traders used put options to hedge or speculate on a potential reversal during the frenzy. As TON spiked over $3, savvy players bought puts (or took short futures positions) near the peak (~$3.10–$3.15) anticipating that the price might not hold at those highs. When TON swiftly fell back to its support levels around $2.80–$2.90, those put options surged in value, allowing holders to either profit from the drop or offset losses on TON holdings. This downside protection strategy is a classic use of options — by investing in puts, traders insured against a sharp pullback. Many of these protective puts were closed out by day’s end once TON stabilized (implying they were meant as short-term insurance or quick trades). Such tactics illustrate that even in a bullish scenario, hedging with puts can be prudent when a token experiences a sudden, large pump.
- Selling Options for Premium (Covered Calls / Cash-Secured Puts): Elevated volatility in TON made option premiums quite rich — a double-edged sword for buyers and an opportunity for option sellers. Some traders took advantage by selling options to collect premium income. For example, covered call writing became attractive: investors holding TON could sell call options against their positions (say at a $3.50 strike), earning immediate premium with the view that TON might not explode far beyond that level in the short term. Others sold cash-secured puts at lower strikes (e.g. $2.50) — effectively betting that TON would stay above those levels through expiry. If they’re right, they keep the premium; if TON does drop further, they would buy TON at an effective discount (premium-adjusted), which they were comfortable with. These income strategies are useful when implied volatility is high: sellers can harvest the market’s fear/greed by taking the other side of overpaying option buyers. However, such strategies require careful risk management (e.g. one must be willing to sell their TON if called, or buy TON if assigned on sold puts).
Overall, trading Toncoin on PowerTrade around this event demonstrated the flexibility that options provide. Traders could tailor their approach to their market view — whether it was betting on wild swings, bullish continuation, or simply monetizing the hype-induced volatility. PowerTrade’s deep altcoin options markets enabled everything from speculative gambles to sophisticated hedges in TON’s case. The key takeaway for traders is that options can significantly enhance one’s strategy: by using calls and puts, one could amplify upside exposure, limit downside risk, or even profit from volatility itself without needing to predict direction. In the context of TON’s Golden Visa news, those who anticipated a big move (but weren’t sure which way) could profit just as those who had a directional conviction. As TON’s story continues to develop — and with Telegram integration rumors, further UAE developments, and possibly other tokens like BNB entering the fray — we can expect TON’s options trading to remain lively. High implied volatility persists in TON options, meaning the market is pricing in further sizable moves. Traders on PowerTrade are actively positioning for whatever comes next, whether that’s a breakout above $3+ or a swing back down within the new range, making TON an exciting case study of RWA-driven volatility.
Conclusion
Toncoin’s UAE golden visa initiative has spotlighted the immense potential of Real-World Asset integration in crypto. By coupling a blockchain staking mechanism with something as tangible as residency rights, TON has opened a new avenue for crypto utility. This move not only gave TON a short-term boost in price and sentiment, but also hinted at a future where major crypto projects (possibly Binance’s BNB and others) follow suit, bridging digital assets with real-world benefits. There are still hurdles and questions — chiefly around regulatory endorsement and long-term sustainability — but the trend is clear: crypto is breaking out of its purely virtual realm and entering the domain of real estate, visas, bonds, and beyond. For investors and traders, this means new opportunities (and risks) at the intersection of crypto markets and real-world economics. In the TON case, both HODLers and savvy options traders found ways to benefit from the rapid changes. Going forward, RWA tokenization and crypto-real world partnerships could become a major theme in the industry, potentially ushering in the next wave of adoption as cryptocurrencies prove their worth not just in DeFi or speculation, but in solving practical, real-world problems. TON’s golden visa is one bold example of that promise — and it may be just the beginning.
Sources: The analysis above is based on information from TON Foundation’s official announcements and website, UAE regulatory updates, market data from CoinGecko, and reporting by CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, TronWeekly, Cryptopolitan, and community commentators on X (Twitter), among others. All details and quotes have been cited to their original sources for reference.
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RWA in Crypto: TON’s Golden Visa Initiative and Its Implications was originally published in The Capital on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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