The TON Foundation issued a statement clarifying that the UAE gold visa program stems from an independent collaboration between TON and a licensed partner focused on blockchain infrastructure and tokenized assets. This exploratory work has not yet reached any formal agreement with UAE government entities. The collaboration is still in the early stages of development and aims to explore how a blockchain-based compliance framework can ultimately support real-world residency pathways. Any services must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and application alone does not guarantee visa issuance. The authority to issue visas remains at the sole discretion of the relevant UAE government agencies. [Odaily Planet Daily]

Three words from UAE regulators—“no formal approval”—torpedoed TON’s viral staking-for-visa proposition. The foundation insists it was merely testing the waters, but critics see another case of crypto jumping the gun. On July 7, the TON Foundation scrambled to clarify its role in an unauthorized golden visa initiative after UAE authorities issued a rare joint statement disavowing any involvement. The controversy began on July 5 when a since-deleted X post claimed that staking $100,000 worth of Toncoin ( TON ) could fast-track applicants to a 10-year UAE residency, a pitch that quickly caught fire across crypto circles, even drawing cautious interest from Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. By July 6, however, regulators from the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, the Securities and Commodities Authority, and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority had publicly shut down the idea, emphasizing that no such program exists. “To clarify, no official Golden Visa program has launched in partnership with the government of the United Arab Emirates, nor has any governmental endorsement been granted to TON.,” the foundation wrote. The TON Foundation’s attempt to distance itself from the unauthorized golden visa announcement raised more questions than it answered. While the foundation called the initiative “exploratory,” that explanation raised eyebrows, especially when it cited working with a mystery “licensed partner” in blockchain infrastructure. They never named names or explained how this would actually meet the UAE’s notoriously strict crypto regulations – pretty big questions to leave unanswered. In its July 7 statement, the TON Foundation stressed the initiative was in “early stages” and would comply with all laws—a tacit admission it had jumped the gun. The pledge to communicate more “transparently” going forward rang hollow to critics, who noted how crypto projects increasingly push into real-world territory with premature or false claims, often without securing regulatory buy-in. One of the most high-profile skeptics was Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. Based in the UAE himself, CZ briefly entertained the idea when it first surfaced, suggesting BNB Chain could explore a similar route if it proved legitimate. this is real, bnb should do the same But within 24 hours of calling the rumored visa program “awesome,” CZ dismissed it as “aggressive and misleading marketing”—a stark reminder that even industry leaders can mistake hype for substance. FWIW. If this article is true (common sense says it is), then it's just aggressive/misleading marketing. DYOR. You can pay $1k (in most major cryptos) to an agent to submit an application for a golden visa. No guarantees, but if you are worth your salt, there is a high chance… Whether TON’s misstep will spur meaningful change in how the industry vets and announces collaborations remains to be seen. But for now, the golden visa fantasy has turned to lead.

TON’s staking-for-visa claim rejected by UAE in rare joint statement

The Open Network (TON) Foundation clarified details about its 10-year "Golden Visa" program for certain Toncoin stakers, stating that the initiative is still in its infancy and has not yet been launched in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government.
"To clarify, no official Golden Visa program has launched in partnership with the government of the United Arab Emirates, nor has any governmental endorsement been granted to TON," the TON Foundation wrote in a Monday release.
"This collaboration is in the early stages of development. It reflects a broader effort to explore how compliant, blockchain-based frameworks might eventually support real-world access to residency pathways. Any offering would be subject to all applicable laws and regulations," the foundation said. "Application alone does not guarantee visa issuance, the authority for which remains at the discretion of the relevant UAE government bodies."
On July 6, the TON Foundation, the independent organization overseeing the Telegram-focused blockchain network TON, announced the UAE Golden Visa program for investors who stake $100,000 in Toncoin (TON) for three years and pay a $35,000 processing fee for a 10-year visa to the UAE.
Peravel, a crypto-native travel firm and the program's partner, said at the time that UAE officials retain final approval over all visa applications. The UAE government also noted that digital currency investments are subject to separate rules and do not qualify for Golden Visa eligibility, The Block previously reported.
"We want to emphasize that Peravel guarantees a full refund of all fees if an application is not approved by authorities, provided all documents are accurate and genuine,” Peravel founder and CEO Ehsan Sattari told The Block in a Telegram message. "We have a long track record of success in similar residency programs, including the UK 10-Year Visa, where over 95% of our clients receive approval due to our strict selection criteria and high documentation standards."
The UAE Golden Visa permits long-term residency for foreign nationals, allowing them to live, work, or study in the country, along with the ability to access certain privileges, such as not requiring a sponsor themselves, sponsoring family members, and staying outside the UAE for more than the standard six months. Requirements for this visa typically include public investments, owning property, entrepreneurship, or possessing specialized talents such as those in athletics, the creative arts, or science, according to the program's website.
Toncoin traded at $2.78 as of publication time and recorded $317.6 million in trading volume in the previous 24 hours. TON's market capitalization sits at $6.9 billion, making it the 22nd most valuable cryptocurrency by that metric, according to The Block's TON Price Page.

TON Foundation says UAE ‘Golden Visa’ plan in early stages after government pushback

The TON Foundation officially stated that the TON Staking Visa program originated from an independent collaboration between TON and a licensed partner specializing in blockchain infrastructure and tokenized assets. This exploratory work did not reach any formal agreement with UAE government entities. The collaboration is still in the early stages of development, and applying does not guarantee visa issuance. The authority to issue visas remains at the sole discretion of the relevant UAE government agencies. [Wu Shuo]

TON Foundation: Visa program has not reached a formal agreement with the UAE government

On July 7, the TON Foundation officially released a statement clarifying that recent news circulating on social media X about a partnership with the UAE government to provide golden visas is premature. The foundation stated that the related plan is only an independent exploration with an authorized partner focusing on blockchain infrastructure, and is still in the early stages of development, without formal approval or recognition from the UAE government. The TON Foundation supports the joint statement issued by the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), confirming that it has not approved any digital residency or investment visa programs. [Deep Tide TechFlow]

TON Foundation Clarifies Rumors of Cooperation with UAE Golden Visa

According to official sources, the TON Foundation issued a statement clarifying that the UAE golden visa program stems from an independent collaboration between TON and a licensed partner specializing in blockchain infrastructure and tokenized assets. This exploratory work has not yet reached any formal agreement with UAE government entities. This collaboration is still in the early stages of development and aims to explore how a blockchain-based compliance framework can ultimately support real-world residency pathways. Any services must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and simply applying does not guarantee visa issuance. The authority to issue visas remains at the sole discretion of the relevant UAE government agencies. [ChainCatcher]

TON Foundation: UAE Golden Visa program has not reached any formal agreement with government entities

On July 8 (UTC+8), the TON Foundation issued a statement clarifying that the UAE gold visa program stems from an independent collaboration between TON and a licensed partner focused on blockchain infrastructure and tokenized assets. This exploratory work has not yet reached any formal agreement with UAE government entities. The collaboration is still in the early stages of development and aims to explore how a blockchain-based compliance framework can ultimately support real-world residency pathways. Any services must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and application alone does not guarantee visa issuance. The authority to issue visas remains at the sole discretion of the relevant UAE government agencies. (Source: Bitpush) [MetaEra]

TON Foundation: No Formal Agreement Reached with UAE Golden Visa Program

The TON Foundation, the community of developers behind Toncoin (TON), is rethinking its marketing strategies following the recent “fake partnership” controversy. The Foundation announced on LinkedIn that it is looking for a new VP of Marketing. Last weekend, The Open Network (TON), which is affiliated with the TON Foundation, made a striking announcement. The statement claimed that by depositing at least $100,000 worth of Toncoin (TON) and paying a $35,000 transaction fee, investors could obtain a 10-year United Arab Emirates (UAE) Golden Visa within seven weeks. However, this claim was quickly denied by the UAE authorities. The UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) issued a joint statement stating that cryptocurrency investors are not eligible for the Golden Visa. The statement included the following statements: “Golden visas are granted in accordance with clear and officially approved frameworks and criteria, which do not include digital currency investors.” Eligible applicants include real estate investors, business people, high-achieving students, scientists and front-line workers. VARA also warned investors to only work with licensed and regulated firms for cryptocurrency-related services. *This is not investment advice.

BREAKING: Following a Fake Announcement, There is Now Turmoil in Toncoin (TON) Management

TON Foundation发布声明澄清，阿联酋黄金签证项目源自TON与一家专注于区块链基础设施和代币化资产的持牌合作伙伴之间的独立合作。这项探索性工作尚未与阿联酋政府实体达成任何正式协议。该合作仍处于早期阶段，旨在探索基于区块链的合规框架如何最终支持现实中的居住路径。任何服务必须遵守所有适用的法律法规，且申请本身并不保证签证的发放。签证发放权完全由相关阿联酋政府机构自行决定。[Odaily Planet Daily]

TON Foundation：尚未与阿联酋黄金签证项目达成正式协议

TON Foundation發佈聲明澄清，阿聯酋黃金簽證項目源自TON與一家專注於區塊鏈基礎設施和代幣化資產的持牌合作伙伴之間的獨立合作。這項探索性工作尚未與阿聯酋政府實體達成任何正式協議。該合作仍處於早期階段，旨在探索基於區塊鏈的合規框架如何最終支持現實中的居住路徑。任何服務必須遵守所有適用的法律法規，且申請本身並不保證簽證的發放。簽證發放權完全由相關阿聯酋政府機構自行決定。[Odaily Planet Daily]