The TON Foundation has today announced the long-awaited launch of TON Storage, a decentralised file-sharing and data storage solution that is set to solve a slew of problems caused by the volume of data our modern way of life necessitates. TON Storage is similar to peer-to-peer file sharing via “torrents,” but it uses the TON (The Open Network) blockchain to transfer data through a decentralised, secure, and private computer network. Users will be able to exchange files of any size freely and securely, with all data automatically backed up and encrypted.

There is no guarantee of storage in traditional torrents; a file will exist only if at least one node stores it. However, because there is no incentive to store a file when using traditional torrents, its long-term storage cannot be guaranteed. This may be appropriate for unimportant data, but for critical data, a storage guarantee is essential. TON Storage is revolutionary in part because it can virtually guarantee storage in perpetuity. TON Storage will use financial incentives in conjunction with blockchain smart contracts. On the TON blockchain, a node operator and a user create a smart contract that guarantees the user will pay a fixed amount in Toncoin to store files for a predetermined amount of time.

Anyone can become a TON network node operator and receive payments from other users for hosting files – even if they only operate one node. The availability of this new product will encourage new, independent users to join the TON network, assisting in the expansion of the TON ecosystem.

Furthermore, TON Storage works in tandem with TON Sites and TON DNS to allow sites to be launched on the TON Network without the need for a fixed IP address, a centralised domain, or a certified centralised centre. Without the need for a web server, TON Sites can be hosted on TON Storage. This completes the puzzle for the TON Foundation to achieve its goal of a completely decentralised internet.

Anatoly Makosov, a founding member of the TON Foundation said, “The launch of TON Storage was long-awaited; this technology can be used by both individual users and services with a multimillion-dollar audience. The next step in realising our vision of a decentralised, open internet is to provide a dependable distributed storage solution. We can’t wait to see what products our community develops with this technology.”