While speed is crucial, it’s not all about how quickly you build. Toncoin capitalized on Telegram’s vast network to expand its reach, and Stellar has been pivotal in linking conventional finance with blockchain technology. Both present significant applications, yet they carry inherent design choices that trace back to their roots.
In contrast, BlockDAG (BDAG) embeds scalability from the ground up with its modern DAG + Proof-of-Work hybrid model. This approach sidesteps the makeshift solutions often seen in earlier Layer 1 and Layer 2 frameworks. With a growing number of testnet users and a presale that has attracted $208 million, BlockDAG is redefining expectations for crypto functionality—focusing on transparency, scalability, and readiness from the first layer.
Toncoin: From Telegram’s Vision to Blockchain Scalability
Toncoin started in 2018 as Telegram’s venture into blockchain, aiming to build a swift, scalable decentralized network. The initiative garnered around $1.7 billion through a private ICO but faced setbacks from U.S. regulatory pressures, leading Telegram to step away in 2020. The community took over, relaunching it as “The Open Network” in August 2021.
Launching at $0.70 and currently priced at $3.63 as of March, 2026, Toncoin has seen a 418% rise. It’s engineered for extensive scalability and rapid transaction completion, supports smart contracts, and integrates with Telegram’s extensive user base, which helps speed up its adoption. The architecture also includes sharding, allowing for handling thousands of transactions per second.
Despite initial regulatory challenges, Toncoin has matured into a robust and expanding ecosystem. Its community-led continuation has supported its steady growth and made it a key player in practical blockchain applications and accessible infrastructure.
Stellar: Facilitating Efficient International Transactions Since 2014
Stellar was initiated in 2014 by Jed McCaleb and Joyce Kim, with the goal of democratizing financial services through blockchain technology. Supported by the nonprofit Stellar Development Foundation, the initiative has focused on connecting fiat and digital currencies to facilitate quick, affordable international payments. Stellar launched its ICO at just $0.003.
As of March, 2026, XLM’s price has soared to $0.482, a significant increase, reflecting over 16,000% growth. Stellar operates on the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP), which ensures quick and energy-efficient transaction validation without the need for mining, making it ideal for remittances, small payments, and collaborations with financial entities. Additionally, partnerships with major organizations like IBM and MoneyGram have broadened Stellar’s impact in conventional finance.
Stellar continues to excel with its integrated decentralized exchange (DEX) and its commitment to real-world applicability, maintaining its position as one of the most practical and widely used blockchain platforms, aimed at providing open, borderless financial solutions globally.
BlockDAG Integrates Scalability at Its Foundation, Redefining Crypto Efficiency
While Layer 2 solutions aimed to enhance blockchain scalability, they often introduced complications like centralized sequencers, less transparent validator processes, and increased reliance on off-chain systems, which fragmented the overall user experience. Unlike these approaches, BlockDAG has embedded scalability into its foundational layer, harmonizing decentralization with performance.
BlockDAG utilizes a unique architecture that combines a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) with Proof-of-Work, enabling multiple block confirmations simultaneously and avoiding the common bottlenecks that push Layer 1s toward external scalability solutions.
CTO Jeremy Harkness explains, “Imagine transactions being processed in parallel, without waiting in line. Our system confirms multiple blocks at once.” This structure eliminates the need for sequencers or off-chain mechanisms, focusing instead on inherent, scalable throughput while maintaining full transparency.
The success of this model is evident as BlockDAG has amassed $208 million during its crypto presale, selling over 18.9 billion coins through 27 batches, with an impressive return on initial batches, indicating robust market reception.
By reimagining scalability from the ground up rather than retrofitting older systems, BlockDAG is poised to set a new benchmark with its forthcoming mainnet, proving that operational speed can coexist with robust decentralization.
Moving Away from Makeshift Solutions in Crypto Technology
Both Toncoin and Stellar mirror the potential and constraints inherent to their origins—Toncoin emerging from a discontinued messaging app project, and Stellar evolving from early attempts to integrate cryptocurrency with traditional finance. Although both platforms have experienced growth, their scalability and decentralization efforts are hampered by older architectural decisions and necessary compromises.
Conversely, BlockDAG confronts these challenges head-on by embedding enhanced throughput, transparency, and community-led governance right into its core architecture, avoiding the need for secondary Layer 2 enhancements or centralized components. As the crypto market transitions from experimental to established, the emphasis may increasingly lean towards systems that offer straightforward, sustainable solutions rather than temporary patches.
Website: https://blockdag.network
Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network
Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial
Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu