Ton Foundation clarifies misleading announcement regarding UAE golden visa

The TON Foundation clarified there is no formal partnership with the UAE government despite initial claims and the initiative is at an "early exploration" stage.

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The TON Foundation has denied claims that it has launched an official UAE Golden Visa initiative, clarifying that no formal partnership exists between the blockchain project and the UAE government.

The clarification follows widespread social media reports suggesting that digital asset investors could gain UAE residency through staking TON tokens.

Over the weekend, TON promotions claimed individuals could secure a 10-year Golden Visa by staking $100,000 worth of TON tokens and paying a $35,000 processing fee. This was framed as a more accessible alternative to traditional routes that require real estate investments exceeding $500,000.

However, UAE authorities swiftly refuted these claims. In a joint statement released July 7, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) denied any such initiative.

The ICP clarified that Golden Visas remain limited to applicants who meet specific eligibility criteria, such as real estate investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and exceptional talents, with digital asset holders not currently included.

The SCA added that virtual assets are regulated under a separate legal structure unrelated to residency pathways, while VARA confirmed that TON is not licensed or authorized to operate within the UAE’s regulatory framework.

In its July 7 statement, TON explained that the initiative in question is an exploratory effort in collaboration with a licensed partner specializing in blockchain infrastructure and tokenized assets, but is developing entirely outside any formal arrangement with UAE government entities.

According to the statement:

“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.”

TON emphasized that while the collaboration seeks to explore compliant, blockchain-based frameworks that could one day support real-world residency pathways, it is still in early development. The statement also emphasized that any visa application decisions remain at the discretion of UAE authorities.

The announcement drew industry criticism for its initial marketing approach. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao called it “aggressive/misleading marketing.”

TON said it welcomed the UAE’s joint statement, reaffirming its commitment to regulatory transparency and responsible development. The foundation added that any future official involvement in Golden Visa programs would be communicated transparently through the appropriate channels.

The TON Foundation continues to focus on integrating real-world assets with digital infrastructure in its broader efforts to bring tokenized services on-chain.

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