We recently had an amazing AMA session with the bemo team, who are pioneering liquid staking on the TON blockchain. We covered their journey from launch to hitting $100M in Total Value Locked (TVL) and even got a sneak peek at their upcoming BMO token launch. Alexey, bemo’s head of research, and Alexandra, the marketing lead, shared valuable insights for TON enthusiasts and Web3 developers.
Section One: Building bemo in TON’s growing ecosystem
Kate, GetBlock: Can you introduce bemo and its mission within the TON ecosystem?
Alexey, bemo: Sure! bemo is the first liquid staking protocol on TON. Users can stake native TON tokens and get stTON tokens in return. These stTON tokens can be used freely across the DeFi space, like in DEXs or lending apps. Our mission is to make staking easy, flexible, and accessible for everyone.
Kate: How does staking work on bemo?
Alexey: It’s simple. Liquid staking platforms help to validate the TON blockchain. bemo simplifies this by allowing anyone to stake TON tokens, starting from any amount without technical barriers.
When users stake their TON tokens on bemo, they receive liquid staking tokens called stTON in return. These tokens are like regular crypto – you can send them, trade them, or use them in DeFi.
And if you want your TON back, you can withdraw anytime.
Kate: What inspired bemo to build on TON, and what unique advantages does TON offer for projects like yours?
Alexey: We started over two years ago when TON was still new. The partnership between TON and Telegram created a unique opportunity to bring blockchain to millions of users. That was a game-changer for both TON and the crypto space in general.
Liquid staking is a key part of any DeFi ecosystem for Proof-of-Stake blockchains, and at the time, TON didn’t have such a protocol. We saw an opportunity to lead the way.
To create bemo, we studied successful projects like Lido, Rocket Pool (Ethereum), and Marinade (Solana) and adapted their best practices for TON.
Finally, we were lucky to find a great team that became one of the first to innovate in the TON ecosystem. With their help, we brought our vision to life and launched the first liquid staking protocol on TON.
Kate: What sets bemo apart from other liquid staking protocols?
Alexey: First, we’re the pioneers of liquid staking on TON. From the beginning, we focused on two things:
- Increasing the utility of stTON
We’re always looking for ways to collaborate with other projects and create new use cases for stTON. Our goal is to maximize its utility across the whole TON ecosystem. - Building a strong, engaged community
We believe that community is important for any crypto project. Over the past year, we’ve focused on building and supporting our user base through an incentive program. Now, we’re wrapping up the program and getting ready for the TGE and token distribution to our community.
Section Two: Incentive program and BMO token launch
Kate: Please tell us more about your incentive program.
Alexey: Of course! For the past year, we ran a program to reward users for staking with us and using stTON in DeFi. The final goal is to airdrop about 10% of our BMO token to our users.
It’s been a great way to connect with our community, and we’re wrapping it up now as we prepare for our token launch.
Alexandra: If you haven’t joined yet, it’s not too late! Check out our official channels – there are still opportunities to win stXP and become part of the bemo family.
Kate: Congrats on the upcoming token launch! Any more details to share?
Alexey: Thank you! I can’t share too much yet. We’re working hard double-checking all aspects to make this launch a success.
Section Three: Challenges and opportunities
Kate: What technical challenges have you faced while building on TON?
Alexey: TON is still a young ecosystem, so we had to build a lot from scratch.
We’ve also faced issues like network overloads, especially when popular projects like Notcoin (NOT) and Hamster Kombat increased traffic. This affected many projects in the TON ecosystem.
Our team worked hard to handle these situations. Bottom line: We have a great team!
Kate: We can relate; definitely felt more strain on our TON node services, too. It’s also great to see that you’re transparent with your community. How else does bemo engage with the TON community?
Alexey: We prioritize direct communication: AMAs like this one, active community chats, and regular educational content.
This year, we launched an FAQ page and a blog to help users learn about DeFi and liquid staking. We’re always ready to help our users understand our product and all aspects of the industry.
Alexandra: Yes, and we want to be the product where all users can easily find the information they need and feel confident using it. That’s also how we’re different from other liquid staking products.
Section Four: Tips for Web3 developers exploring TON
Kate: Any advice for Web3 developers new to TON or exploring the liquid staking space?
Alexey: Focus on making your solutions as user-friendly as possible. Many people entering Web3 are not tech experts, so simple and clear interfaces can give a huge advantage.
Next, take the time to understand TON’s unique architecture. TON blockchain is unique and operates differently from, say, the EVM space.
Finally, keep the community in mind. TON is growing, and its strength is in its users. A good start is building community before even going mainnet.
