Gram (ticker: GRAM) is the native cryptocurrency of The Open Network (TON), a layer-1 blockchain and service stack. It exists on TON itself (not as an ERC-20 or a wrapped asset) and functions as the network’s base currency. In practice, Gram is the unit used to operate the blockchain and its integrated services—transactions and smart-contract execution on the TON Blockchain, and service operations across TON DNS, TON Sites, TON Storage and TON Proxy.

Gram also underpins the network’s proof-of-stake security model: validators stake GRAM to help run the chain and receive protocol rewards for doing so. Operational details of staking and validator roles are covered in their dedicated sections.

Developer tooling and code commonly refer to balances in nanotons (often written as ‘nano’), the smallest on-chain unit even though users interact in Gram. This is analogous to “wei” on Ethereum and helps avoid rounding in smart-contract logic. For practical uses of Gram across apps and services, see “What is Gram used for across the ecosystem?”