The Open Network (TON) has introduced a new pathway to long-term UAE residency that could turn heads in both crypto and investment circles. The Telegram-linked blockchain platform is now offering 10-year UAE Golden Visas to individuals willing to stake $100,000 worth of Toncoin for three years. In addition to the staking amount, applicants must pay a $35,000 processing fee.
According to details
shared on July 6, the entire visa process, from document submission to final approval, is expected to take approximately seven weeks. Local partners based in the UAE will handle the paperwork and coordinate directly with government offices. What makes the offering stand out is its structure. The staked funds stay in the user’s control through a smart contract that can be verified on the TON blockchain. Users won’t just hold onto their crypto; they’ll also earn annual returns of roughly 3% to 4% during the staking period.
The visa also extends coverage to close family members, including spouses, children, and parents. There’s no additional platform fee for adding a family, although standard UAE government charges will still apply For context, most Golden Visa applicants through traditional channels, like real estate or bank deposits, typically need to invest at least $540,000.
TON’s crypto-based option reduces that entry cost by nearly 80%, opening the door for a different class of investors. “The entry is 5x lower than an equivalent real estate / FD investment and will certainly get the attention of whales to take a look at TON and consider this as an option,” said Bobby Ong, co-founder of CoinGecko, posting on X.
Toncoin jumped over 8% after the news broke, briefly touching $2.98 before easing a bit. Toncoin’s rally didn’t change the bigger picture — the token is still down over 60% from its value a year ago, according to CoinMarketCap data. The UAE, meanwhile, has quietly become one of the few places actively welcoming crypto players, offering clarity where most countries offer confusion.
Regulatory clarity, tax advantages, and residency incentives have attracted exchanges, Web3 firms, and now, thanks to TON, crypto holders seeking long-term stays without converting assets into traditional forms. With this move, TON isn’t just adding a feature; it’s offering real-world value tied directly to on-chain assets, something few projects in the industry have pulled off so far.