GRAM Slips Amid Durov Arrest Warrant and Token Unlock Pressure Despite Broader Crypto Gains

Summary: GRAM’s 4.4% decline today to $1.40, alongside a 51% surge in trading volume?, reflects a confluence of negative news and technical weakness. The catalyst was Russia’s issuance of an international arrest warrant for Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, accusing him of facilitating terrorism, which triggered a nearly 3% immediate price drop. This came on top of recent token? unlocks releasing over 54 million GRAM into circulation, adding sell pressure. Despite a generally bullish crypto market on July 29, 2026, GRAM’s price action highlights its sensitivity to regulatory developments and supply-side dynamics.

GRAM, the native token? powering The Open Network (TON), closed the day at $1.40, down 4.4% over 24 hours, with a market capitalization of approximately $3.83 billion. Trading volumes jumped to $48 million, a 51% increase from the previous day, signaling heightened activity amid the selloff. This contrasts with the broader crypto market, which showed gains as investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s upcoming monetary policy announcement.

Why GRAM Fell While the Market Rose

The primary driver behind GRAM’s weakness was the news that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) issued an international arrest warrant for Pavel Durov, Telegram’s co-founder. The accusation of “facilitating terrorism” reverberated through the market, hitting GRAM with an immediate 2.97% price drop. Given Durov’s central role in TON’s development and Telegram’s integration plans, this regulatory blow raised concerns over the token?’s future and governance stability.

Adding to the pressure, GRAM has recently faced supply-side headwinds. On July 23, 2026, a significant token? unlock released 52 million GRAM (about 0.71% of the circulating supply), followed by another 2.8 million tokens unlocked on July 27. These unlocks increase the available supply, typically leading to selling pressure as holders seek to realize gains or rebalance portfolios.

Market observers also note that within the TON ecosystem, capital appears to be rotating away from GRAM toward memecoins and other speculative tokens, diluting demand for the native asset. This shift further weakens GRAM’s relative momentum despite the network’s robust activity.

Technical Picture: Bearish Signals Amid Key Support Breaks

From a technical standpoint, GRAM shows signs of mild bearish momentum. Its Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 41.66, below the neutral 50 mark, indicating subdued buying interest. More notably, GRAM has broken below critical support levels, including its 7-day simple moving average at $1.49 and the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $1.48. These breaks suggest sellers are gaining control in the short term, and the token? could test lower support zones if the selling persists.

However, the absence of sufficient OHLC bars limits a deeper technical analysis, making it crucial to monitor price action closely in the coming days.

Cross-Asset and Regulatory Context

GRAM’s decline unfolds against a backdrop of broader crypto market gains, driven by anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision. Investors are generally optimistic about the potential for stable interest rates, which supports risk assets including cryptocurrencies.

Yet, regulatory uncertainty looms large, particularly with the CLARITY Act advancing in the U.S. Senate. This legislation could impose new compliance requirements on crypto projects, adding to the cautious sentiment. GRAM’s specific regulatory risk was underscored by the arrest warrant against Durov, highlighting how geopolitical and legal developments can disproportionately impact certain tokens.

Additionally, BTSE’s scheduled maintenance on the TON Blockchain? on July 29 temporarily disabled deposits and withdrawals for TON and related tokens, likely constraining liquidity? and exacerbating price volatility during the day.

Counterpoints: Long-Term Potential Despite Short-Term Weakness

While the arrest warrant news triggered a sharp reaction, some analysts argue the impact was relatively contained compared to the market turmoil following Durov’s 2024 arrest. This suggests that investors may have partially priced in founder-related risks already.

Moreover, TON continues to demonstrate strong network activity, processing roughly 3.15 million transactions daily, with decentralized exchange? (DEX?) volume? up 35% week-over-week. These metrics point to sustained user engagement and ecosystem growth, which could underpin GRAM’s value over time.

Telegram’s July 22 announcement of integrating a native, non-custodial? GRAM wallet? across all its apps is a significant utility milestone. This move aims to enable instant, zero-fee transactions for over a billion users, potentially driving long-term adoption and demand for GRAM.

Some market participants view GRAM as entering a “high-conviction demand zone,” where a multi-year rally could materialize if key support levels hold and regulatory risks subside.

Key Levels and Implications

What Traders and Investors Should Watch Next

The immediate focus is on how GRAM responds to ongoing regulatory developments, particularly any follow-up actions related to Pavel Durov. Additionally, monitoring the token?’s ability to hold above psychological support levels near $1.35 will be critical to gauge whether the recent selloff extends.

Liquidity? conditions post-BTSE maintenance and the broader crypto market’s reaction to the Federal Reserve’s policy decision will also influence GRAM’s near-term trajectory.

Longer term, the rollout and adoption of the integrated GRAM wallet? across Telegram apps could serve as a powerful catalyst, potentially reversing the current downtrend if it drives meaningful user engagement and transaction? volume?.

For those comparing broker access and platform features for trading GRAM and other tokens, platforms like eToro offer competitive fees and broad crypto coverage.

Final Verdict on GRAM

FAQ

Why did GRAM drop despite a rising crypto market?

GRAM’s decline was mainly triggered by Russia issuing an arrest warrant for Pavel Durov, Telegram’s co-founder, which raised regulatory concerns specific to the token?. This, combined with recent large token? unlocks increasing supply, outweighed the broader market’s positive momentum.

How significant are the token? unlocks for GRAM’s price?

The unlocks released over 54 million GRAM tokens recently, adding substantial sell pressure as holders may liquidate or rebalance. This supply increase has contributed to the downward price pressure seen this week.

What impact does Telegram’s GRAM wallet? integration have?

The integration of a native, non-custodial? GRAM wallet? across Telegram apps is a major utility boost, potentially driving mass adoption and transaction? volume?. While this is a bullish long-term catalyst, its effect has yet to fully materialize in price.

What should traders watch to gauge GRAM’s next move?

Key levels to watch include support near $1.35 and resistance at the 7-day SMA around $1.49. Regulatory news related to Pavel Durov and updates on the Telegram wallet? rollout will be critical catalysts. Additionally, liquidity? changes post-BTSE maintenance could influence short-term volatility.

GRAM’s current weakness amid positive network activity and upcoming utility improvements creates a complex trading environment. Investors should weigh regulatory risks and supply dynamics carefully while monitoring technical levels and ecosystem developments.

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