A decentralized file-sharing and data storage system called TON Storage has been unveiled by The Open Network (TON) blockchain's non-profit TON Foundation.
The proof-of-stake blockchain TON, which was developed by the developers of Telegram Messenger, is protected by the TON Foundation.
TON Storage functions similarly to internet-based peer-to-peer file sharing that uses torrents. However, it leverages the TON blockchain network instead of centralized web servers to deliver data files of any size that are protected and backed up.
Customers had little incentive to use torrents to store their data, and the files' lifetime was not assured. TON Storage aims to alter that by offering users incentives to run nodes and host data.
In a statement, the TON Foundation stated:
“Anyone can become a node operator on the TON network and receive payments from other users for hosting files — even if operating just one node. The accessibility of this new product will incentivize new, independent users to join the TON network, helping to grow the TON ecosystem even further.”
Furthermore, TON Storage seamlessly connects with TON Sites and TON DNS to enable the launch of sites on the TON Network without the requirement for a fixed IP address, a centralized domain, or a licensed centralized center. TON Storage is able to host TON Sites without the requirement for a web server. This completes the last piece of the TON Foundation's plan to build an entirely decentralized internet.
In October, Telegram made it possible for users to buy usernames for its messaging service through Fragment, a decentralized auction platform powered by The Open Network. Earlier this month, Telegram made available an update that enables users to create accounts using cell phone numbers instead than anonymous blockchain IDs.
