The global financial system remains fragmented, lacking a universally adopted blockchain infrastructure capable of supporting seamless consumer and business applications. This gap presents a major opportunity to develop a decentralized, compliant network that’s as accessible and widespread as the internet itself. By leveraging existing mobile networks, the aim is to create a streamlined system that integrates mobile access, currency exchange, and blockchain settlement into a cohesive infrastructure. This unified model empowers users across all layers of the ecosystem with governance and economic incentives. One project pursuing this vision through telecom integration and blockchain settlement is Telcoin

What is Telcoin (TEL)?

Telcoin was founded in 2017 with the Telcoin (TEL) token issuance by a Singapore-based organization aiming to transform the remittance landscape through blockchain technology. That same year, it set out to bridge the gap between fiat and digital currencies by providing an affordable, fast, and compliant infrastructure for mobile-based financial services. In 2018, Telcoin became the first blockchain firm to join the GSMA, the global telecom industry body, signaling its ambition to leverage its distributed infrastructure to support decentralized financial products.

Over time, Telcoin evolved into a global network regulated as a Virtual Asset Service Provider in Lithuania and Argentina, a Major Payment Institution in Singapore, and a Money Services Business in the US, Canada, and Australia. It is now governed by the Telcoin Association, a Swiss non-profit based in Lugano, which oversees the platform through decentralized Miner Councils. Along with Ryan Neuner and an international team, Paul Neuner, Telcoin’s Founder and CEO leads the company’s mission to provide financial inclusion through mobile technology.

Telcoin targets the vast remittance and mobile money markets, seeking to offer an alternative to traditional money transfer services like Western Union. Telcoin aims to serve billions of mobile users globally by partnering with telecom giants and mobile money operators. The Telcoin Network supports both fiat and blockchain rails, combining traditional regulatory compliance with decentralized finance (DeFi) benefits, such as automation, transparency, and reduced counterparty risk. Telcoin envisions a world where anyone with a mobile phone has instant access to affordable financial services.

How Does Telcoin Work? Platform Architecture, Governance, and Miners

The Telcoin Platform is built as a multi-layered blockchain infrastructure designed to deliver user-owned, decentralized financial services through mobile networks. Its architecture combines three interoperable networks—Telcoin Network, TELx, and the Telcoin Application Network (TAN)—each fulfilling a distinct function. Together, these layers provide a vertically integrated solution that spans the blockchain execution, decentralized exchange, and mobile application layers, collectively powering the Telcoin system.

At the base of the stack is Telcoin Network, an EVM-compatible public blockchain serving as the execution and settlement layer of the platform. Secured by proof-of-stake consensus, it relies on GSMA-certified Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) as validators. These validators manage Telcoin Network nodes, verify transactions, and generate blocks in exchange for gas fees and issuance in TEL, the platform’s native token. Telcoin Network supports smart contracts and ensures digital property rights, allowing users to transact without third-party intermediaries. The Platform and Treasury Councils handle the governance of this base layer through the TELIP process, which facilitates network upgrades, economic coordination, and rule changes.

Source: forum.telcoin.org

Sitting atop the Telcoin Network is TELx, the decentralized financial marketplace layer. TELx is a network of automated market maker (AMM) liquidity pools and smart contracts that facilitate token exchange, liquidity provision, and remittance functionality without intermediaries. It enables TEL and other tokens to be traded seamlessly across decentralized markets. Liquidity providers, or “Liquidity Miners,” supply assets to TELx pools and earn a share of trading fees along with TEL issuance rewards. Their governance is managed by the TELx Council using the TELxIP process. These council members determine how liquidity is allocated, which pools are supported, and how TEL incentives are distributed. All TELx contracts are non-custodial and always-on, running autonomously within the EVM.

Source: forum.telcoin.org

At the top of the architecture is TAN, or the Telcoin Application Network, which comprises a suite of mobile applications integrated with the underlying layers. TAN acts as the user interface of the platform, connecting consumers to services like digital wallets, asset exchange, remittances, and staking. TAN supports a variety of “miners,” including app developers and stakers. Developers who stake TEL and build on TAN can earn transaction fees and TEL issuance based on user adoption metrics. Meanwhile, stakers—typically mobile users—refer others to the platform and earn rewards from their referred users’ activity. TAN is governed by the TAN Council using the TANIP process, ensuring that rules governing mobile access and user-level rewards are transparent and community-driven.

Source: forum.telcoin.org

At the core of the system is the TEL token, which flows through all three layers. Miners stake it to participate in the system, use it to pay transaction fees, and harvest it from the TEL Treasury as issuance. The Platform embeds TEL harvesting rules directly in smart contracts, enabling secure and programmable reward distribution to miners across Telcoin Network, TELx, and TAN. Together, these layers form a unified platform that democratizes access to digital financial services, all from a mobile device.

Governance

The governance structure of the Telcoin Platform is designed as a robust, democratic, and decentralized system, combining blockchain-native mechanisms with proven institutional frameworks to ensure long-term sustainability and effective self-management. It is legally represented by the Telcoin Association, a Swiss-based non-profit, and structured to be polycentric, where power and responsibilities are distributed across multiple autonomous groups known as Miner Councils. These councils represent four types of miners—Validators on Telcoin Network, Liquidity Miners on TELx, Developers and Stakers on TAN—who collectively shape and refine the rules that govern the platform and its associated token economy.

Source: telcoin.org

Unlike conventional DAOs that often rely solely on on-chain token voting, Telcoin’s governance model takes a more nuanced approach by integrating Elinor Ostrom’s 8 Design Principles for managing common-pool resources. Ostrom’s work, which challenged the traditional assumption that only privatization or centralized control could prevent the overuse of shared resources, is embedded at the constitutional level of the Telcoin Association. These principles—clearly defined boundaries, graduated sanctions, conflict resolution, and collective choice arrangements—serve as the foundation for community-driven rule-making and enforcement. Their practical implementation is guided by the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) and Social-Ecological Systems (SES) frameworks, which provide structured methodologies for defining rules, actors, governance outcomes, and ecosystem dynamics.

TGIP1 (Telcoin Governance Improvement Proposal 1) formalizes the integration of these frameworks into the governance process, promoting adaptive rule-making and system transparency. Through TGIP1, Ostrom’s principles are transformed into actionable institutional responses designed to prevent governance pitfalls common in other blockchain systems, such as voter apathy, centralization of power, or regulatory non-compliance. The Telcoin governance structure also recognizes the platform as a standard property regime, meaning that the shared nature of resources requires balanced provisioning and appropriation by all stakeholders to avoid what is commonly referred to as the “tragedy of the commons.”

The Telcoin Platform uses a governance infrastructure composed of multiple interlinked tools and technologies to implement these principles in practice. Safe Wallets function as on-chain representations of councils and constituencies, executing transactions approved through off-chain Snapshot votes. Governance NFTs assign voting rights to council members, while TEL streams are directed into NFT holder wallets to align economic incentives. The Zodiac Reality Module acts as an oracle to transmit off-chain voting results on-chain, bridging Snapshot and Safe Wallet functionality. To ensure compliance, the Zodiac Guard Module allows the Compliance Council to veto any transaction flagged for violating platform rules or external regulations. Additionally, the Zodiac Bridge Module enables Safe Wallets across different chains to interact, while ENS names support identity and space management across governance layers.

Miners

Miners are the operational backbone of the Telcoin Platform, performing essential roles that sustain its decentralized architecture and economic activity. The platform recognizes four distinct types of miners—Validators, Liquidity Miners, Developers, and Stakers—each serving unique functions within the system. Together, these groups ensure the platform’s technical stability, liquidity, user adoption, and governance. Their contributions are rewarded with TEL token issuance and user fees, according to rules set by Miner Councils and enforced through a combination of smart contracts and organizational processes.

Validators are responsible for securing the Telcoin Network blockchain. These nodes validate and add blocks to the chain, enabling decentralized transaction execution and settlement. Only GSMA Operator Member Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) approved by the Compliance Council are eligible to become Validators. They stake TEL to participate in the proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism and are rewarded with gas fees and TEL issuance for each block they successfully validate. Validators also participate in governance by proposing and voting on platform-level decisions through their designated Miner Group.

Liquidity Miners fuel TELx, the Telcoin Platform’s decentralized financial layer. They provide liquidity to automated market maker (AMM) pools, enabling seamless, self-custodial exchange of digital assets. Any user can become a Liquidity Miner by depositing TEL and other assets into TELx pools and staking their liquidity provider tokens. In return, they earn trading fees and TEL rewards proportional to their share of the total staked liquidity. Governance participation for Liquidity Miners is also based on staked liquidity, giving them a say in TELx policy and rule changes.

Developers build and maintain mobile applications on the Telcoin Application Network (TAN), which serves as the mobile interface to the platform. By staking TEL and deploying user-facing apps that integrate Telcoin’s services, Developers receive transaction fees from their users and earn TEL issuance relative to their application’s usage. Stakers, on the other hand, are Telcoin users who support platform adoption by referring others and using Telcoin services. They stake TEL, earn referral rewards, and gain voting rights tied to their network impact.

Each Miner Group governs its domain but shares equal authority in platform-wide decisions, ensuring a balanced and collaborative governance model.

Telcoin Use Cases

By leveraging blockchain technology, telecom infrastructure, and decentralized finance (DeFi), Telcoin provides practical solutions for real-world financial needs. Its utility spans remittances, stablecoin-based payments, digital asset management, and exchange services—all accessible through mobile devices and powered by the TEL token.

• Remittances: Telcoin’s flagship product enables fast and affordable remittances from bank accounts or digital asset balances to over 40 mobile money platforms and e-wallets across more than 20 countries. This service is especially valuable for migrant workers sending money home, providing an alternative to costly and slow traditional remittance providers. With Telcoin, users benefit from lower fees, quicker transfers, and a more inclusive financial system.
• Digital Cash (Stablecoins): Telcoin supports multi-currency stablecoins that act as digital cash within its mobile financial ecosystem. These stablecoins are a backbone for transactions, reducing volatility and enabling everyday spending, saving, and payments. As a programmable digital currency, Telcoin’s stablecoins power instant and low-cost payments that are borderless and compliant with local regulations.
• Digital Assets Management: Through the Telcoin app, users can send, store, and swap over 100 digital assets using popular DeFi protocols, all from a mobile interface. The platform emphasizes user ownership and self-custody, removing intermediaries and giving users complete control over their assets.
• Exchange and Payment Settlement: TEL is used as the native gas token on the Telcoin Network, settling payments across its ecosystem. It also fuels exchange services on TELx, the platform’s decentralized liquidity layer, where users pay fees and liquidity providers earn rewards in TEL.

Telcoin Main Features

Telcoin Wallet

The Telcoin Wallet is a secure, user-friendly digital asset gateway, empowering users to manage their funds with complete control. It supports sending remittances to over 20 countries and enables asset transfers between users globally. Users can store over 100 cryptocurrencies through an intuitive multi-signature, self-custodial wallet. Deposits can be made on-chain, or users can buy USDC using a bank account or debit card, where supported. The wallet also allows instant swaps between digital assets on the Polygon Network via integrated DeFi protocols. Whether it is sending TEL, USDT, USDC, or WBTC, the Telcoin Wallet makes it simple to trade, store, and send assets at low cost, bringing decentralized finance to the mobile-first generation.

Source: telco.in

Digital Cash

Telcoin’s Digital Cash is a new category of multi-currency stablecoins designed to fuel next-generation mobile financial services. These stablecoins—like the upcoming eUSD and eEUR—aim to transform how users interact with blockchain and traditional finance. Issued by Telcoin Bank, a digitally native, conditionally approved financial institution in Nebraska, these stablecoins will be backed by regulation and connected to global banking infrastructure. Digital Cash supports cross-border payments with low fees, instant finality, and native multi-currency support. Whether for remittances, direct merchant payments, or blockchain-based banking, Telcoin’s Digital Cash offers a programmable, secure, and compliant solution for individuals and institutions looking to move or store value seamlessly across borders.

Source: telco.in

Remittances

Telcoin is revolutionizing remittances by offering a fast, affordable alternative to traditional money transfer services. Through partnerships with mobile money providers and telecom operators, the Telcoin Wallet enables users to send money to more than 20 countries, with total fees of 2% or less. Users can send digital assets or funds from connected bank accounts directly to trusted e-wallets in countries like El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, and more. The wallet’s infrastructure ensures high-speed, low-cost global transfers without intermediaries. As new corridors and integrations are added, Telcoin’s remittance network continues to grow, unlocking new opportunities for financial inclusion and cross-border mobility.

Source: telco.in

What is the TEL Coin?

TEL is the native utility token powering the Telcoin Platform’s decentralized financial services. Its maximum supply is capped at 100 billion units, of which 99.79 billion (99.79%) are already in circulation (April 2025).

TEL powers transactions, incentives, and governance across its three interconnected infrastructure layers: the Telcoin Network, TELx, and TAN. Designed as a scarce digital good with a capped supply of 100 billion units, TEL is issued through the TEL Treasury at an annual rate of 10% of its inventory and redistributed through programmable flows across the system. Miners—Validators, Liquidity Miners, Developers, and Stakers—stake TEL to participate in the network, secure resources, earn fees, and harvest issuance, with governance power derived from their stake relative to their Miner Group.

On Telcoin Network, TEL acts as gas. Consumers use it to pay transaction fees, while Validators secure the blockchain via proof of stake, earning gas fees and issuance based on their activity. In TELx, TEL fuels decentralized asset exchange. Consumers use TEL for liquidity and trading fees, and Liquidity Miners provide TEL-based liquidity to earn swap fees and issuance. TEL also grants Liquidity Miners governance rights.

On TAN, the application layer, consumers use TEL for self-custody, payments, and trading within Telcoin apps. Developers must stake TEL to build on TAN, earning issuance and fees from user activity. Their governance power correlates with their staked TEL. Likewise, Stakers stake TEL to earn referral rewards and issuance based on the network activity of users they onboard.

The system ensures TEL’s sustainability through fee burning and regeneration. A portion of TEL paid in gas is destroyed each block, then equally reissued to the TEL Treasury, maintaining yield without expanding supply. TEL’s multiple utilities—including network access, staking rewards, transaction payments, and governance participation—make it the economic and political backbone of the Telcoin Platform. Through these mechanisms, TEL supports a secure, decentralized, and efficient financial ecosystem for global users.

Telcoin’s token distribution includes 50% for market and circulation, 25% for ecosystem development, 15% for MNO incentives, and 5% each for the team and early contributors, with vesting schedules promoting sustainability and long-term alignment across stakeholders.

Is TEL a Good Investment?

Telcoin (TEL) presents a compelling use case by bridging mobile telecom infrastructure with decentralized finance, potentially enabling cost-effective remittances and broader financial inclusion. Its regulated status in several jurisdictions and integration with telecom partners strengthen its legitimacy. However, the platform’s success depends on widespread telecom adoption and consistent user engagement, which may face hurdles in highly competitive financial markets. Additionally, the utility and demand for TEL must scale in tandem with ecosystem growth to sustain long-term token value, posing a risk if adoption lags behind expectations.

How to Own TEL?

To own TEL, you can use the services of a centralized crypto exchange. Start by creating a Gate.io account, and get it verified and funded. Then you are ready to go through the steps to buy TEL.

News on Telcoin

As reported on 7 February 2025, on the official blog, Telcoin has officially launched Telcoin Wallet V4, marking a major step toward realizing its vision of the Internet of Money. The V4.0 release introduces a redesigned user interface, an enhanced send flow for remittances, and critical infrastructure upgrades to support future Digital Cash features. These upgrades lay the groundwork for seamless integration with Telcoin Bank, a regulated Digital Asset Bank, and upcoming V4.X capabilities like multi-currency stablecoins, expanded payment rails, and borderless transactions for users worldwide.