Pavel Durov, the founder of the globally influential messaging platform Telegram, has officially unveiled plans for a groundbreaking initiative named Cocoon, which stands for the Confidential Compute Open Network. This ambitious project is being established as a decentralized computing infrastructure specifically engineered to merge the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) with the secure, transparent framework of the TON blockchain network. The highly anticipated announcement took place during the prestigious Blockchain Life 2025 forum, held in the technological hub of Dubai. During the presentation, Durov confirmed the timeline, stating unequivocally that the official commencement of the Cocoon project is slated for November 2025.
The fundamental objective driving Cocoon is to establish a robust, market-driven, and intrinsically censorship-resistant mechanism tailored for handling complex AI requests while guaranteeing absolute user confidentiality. This architecture represents a significant departure from conventional centralized cloud computing systems, where service providers often maintain the ability to inspect or access user data. Crucially, Cocoon ensures that all sensitive information remains fully encrypted throughout the entire processing phase, providing an unparalleled layer of privacy and security. The economic engine powering this network relies on Toncoin: developers seeking computational resources will compensate providers using this native cryptocurrency, and, conversely, individuals contributing their graphical processing units (GPUs) to the distributed network will receive their earned rewards exclusively in Toncoin.
Telegram is slated to be the inaugural and primary client utilizing the Cocoon network. This strategic positioning guarantees a powerful initial uptake and deep integration into an ecosystem boasting a potential user base that exceeds one billion people. Max Kroun, the Chief Executive Officer of the TON Foundation, emphasized the profound significance of this development. According to Kroun, the introduction of Cocoon represents a pivotal transition toward a user-governed computing economy, effectively shifting control over critical AI infrastructure back into the hands of the community rather than centralized entities.
Significant investor interest has already materialized regarding the establishment of the physical infrastructure, or “backbone,” necessary to support the network’s demands. Notably, AlphaTON Capital has publicly announced its intention to commit substantial capital toward building out corporate-grade GPU infrastructure. This commitment signals that the project is specifically engineered to handle the highly intensive computational workloads required by advanced AI applications. The conceptual groundwork for Cocoon predates the official announcement, tracing back to October 2025, when Durov first hinted at the potential of combining blockchain and AI technologies during a diplomatic visit to Kazakhstan.
Durov frames Cocoon as a fundamental paradigm shift in how users interact with artificial intelligence. His stated goal is to dismantle the entrenched paradigm where massive corporations exert monopolistic control over cutting-edge technology, viewing the network as an essential step in democratizing access to powerful computing resources. Furthermore, Durov highlighted the massive scale of Telegram itself, noting that the platform successfully reached 1 billion monthly active users over the past year. This immense, engaged user base provides an exceptionally fertile and favorable environment for the rapid adoption and widespread dissemination of this new decentralized technology, ensuring its immediate relevance and reach.