- The TON Foundation has clarified that its proposed Golden Visa blockchain initiative is not officially endorsed by the UAE government and remains in early exploratory stages.
- The foundation emphasized that no formal agreements exist and visa approvals remain solely under UAE governmental authority.
The TON Foundation has issued a formal statement distancing itself from claims that its recently discussed Golden Visa blockchain initiative is officially backed by the United Arab Emirates government.
This clarification follows a wave of misinformation that spread across social media over the weekend, suggesting that Toncoin holders could obtain long-term UAE residency by staking cryptocurrency.
According to the statement released Monday, while the idea of a digital residency program is under exploration, it is not affiliated with or endorsed by any UAE government entities. The foundation emphasized that the initiative is part of an independent collaboration with a licensed blockchain partner and has no ties to official UAE visa programs.
The TON Foundation is aware of the premature announcement that circulated on X regarding a UAE Golden Visa initiative offered by TON,
the statement read.
While we understand the community’s interest and enthusiasm, it’s necessary to provide clarity.
The misunderstanding appears to stem from a report over the weekend suggesting that Toncoin’s blockchain would power a staking-based Golden Visa initiative in the UAE. This program allegedly offered long-term residency through cryptocurrency staking, bypassing traditional income or investment requirements.
In reality, the TON Foundation explained, the concept is still in early development stages. It is designed to explore how blockchain can potentially facilitate regulated and compliant pathways to digital residency in the future, but no formal agreements or approvals have been issued by the UAE government.
There is no official Golden Visa program launched in partnership with the government of the United Arab Emirates,
TON clarified.
Nor has any governmental endorsement been granted to TON.
To reinforce its position, the foundation also referenced a joint statement from the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
These agencies confirmed that no government-supported blockchain residency or investment visa programs have been launched in connection with TON.
The foundation further emphasized that any applications made under its pilot project would not result in guaranteed visa issuance. That authority remains exclusively with UAE governmental bodies.
We welcome the clarity provided and appreciate the UAE’s ongoing commitment to regulatory transparency,
the TON Foundation stated.
Should official involvement emerge in the future, it will be communicated transparently and through the appropriate channels.
As blockchain technology continues to merge with real-world use cases like identity and global mobility, TON says it remains focused on innovation that respects both regulatory frameworks and user trust. “Our mission is to bring real-world assets and digital access together on-chain, in a responsible, compliant manner
