MyTonWallet: How to Build Technologies People Trust. An Exclusive Interview with Alexander Zinchuk

In the world of blockchain, where success is often measured by the size of investments and the loudness of names, MyTonWallet stands apart. This project was born out of ideas of true freedom, respect for the user, and a belief in decentralization.

Alexander Zinchuk — the founder and driving force behind MyTonWallet, one of the most notable projects in the TON ecosystem — began his journey with a passion for technology at an early age, eventually creating a product that puts security, openness, and user experience first.

In an exclusive interview for TON App Journal, Alexander shares the principles behind MyTonWallet, the challenges and decisions that shaped its development, and his vision for the future of the TON ecosystem.

— Your journey in blockchain began with working on scalable architectures and interfaces. You also collaborated with companies like Telegram, Yandex, and Toptal. Could you share the projects you worked on at these companies and how this experience influenced the development of MyTonWallet?

A.Z: My fascination with technology started quite early—I wrote my first lines of code at 13, driven purely by passion and curiosity. At 19, I joined Yandex, which at the time was a smaller, agile startup than the tech giant it is today. Working alongside some of the sharpest engineers there, I learned what it really means to build systems that scale—architectures that remain stable no matter how big the load.

Later at Telegram, I witnessed the extraordinary power of maintaining efficiency and agility even with an extremely tiny team. The philosophy of doing more with less, of staying true to what really matters, resonated deeply with me. It shaped how we built MyTonWallet: minimalist design, intuitive experience, and technology that respects its users. Security and privacy are vital too—it’s all part of the same thoughtful approach that shapes every detail of our product.

— What decisions or approaches in MyTonWallet’s development turned out to be the most challenging, and is there anything you would do differently?

A.Z: Entering a market ruled by giants—with products backed by millions in funding and teams of hundreds—was never going to be easy. But we knew from the start why we are here, driven by our mission of making crypto and TON more accessible. We believed in our approach: staying independent, moving fast, and keeping the focus on what truly matters—the user. And looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. This path, with all its risks and challenges, was the right one.

If anything, I’d just double down on that belief even sooner. Trust our instincts earlier, respond to feedback even faster. Because that’s been the key from the very beginning: listening closely, adapting quickly, and building together with the people who use and believe in the product.

— MyTonWallet became the first wallet on TON with a CertiK audit. Can you share the process of implementing this audit? What were the most difficult stages?

A.Z: When you’re building a self-custodial wallet, the goal isn’t to ask for trust—it’s to make trust irrelevant. That’s why we’ve prioritized transparency, open-source code, and third-party validation from day one.

The CertiK audit was a key step in that direction. Their team ran in-depth threat modeling, scanned the codebase, and conducted a rigorous security review. The result: no critical vulnerabilities, just a handful of minor recommendations, all of which we addressed immediately. Not a cheap or easy process—but if you’re serious about security, it shouldn’t be.

The most challenging part? It’s not about passing a single check. It’s about the mindset. Security in Web3 isn’t something you set and forget—it’s a constant process of review, improvement, and validation. Since CertiK, we’ve completed another audit with MIB and launched an ongoing $100,000 security bounty. Because in this space, staying secure means never standing still.

All in all, the future should be trustless :)

— TON Proxy and multichain standards are innovations that set your wallet apart. What goals were you pursuing when introducing these features, and what problems were they solving?

A.Z: Both of these features came from the same place: we wanted to break down barriers for users and make TON ecosystem even more open, accessible, and flexible. With TON Proxy, it was about supporting an important initiative from the TON Core team, giving users more ways to interact privately and securely on-chain.

The multichain standard was our answer to another big challenge: how to make TON more accessible to people who are already using other popular chains like TRON. Instead of asking them to start from scratch, we built a bridge—so they could move freely, explore TON’s tools, and join the ecosystem without friction. In the end, both features reflect what we care about most: building close to real user needs and making digital assets work better for people, especially through TON's exceptional technology.

— As competition among wallets in the TON ecosystem grows, what do you think makes MyTonWallet stand out? What advantages do users value the most?

A.Z: I believe our greatest strength is independence. No outside investors. No shareholders telling us what to prioritize. That gives us the freedom to stay laser-focused on what matters most: building fast, listening to our users, and delivering exactly what they need.

We’re also fortunate to have a small but incredibly talented team—people who’ve won global programming and design competitions. That level of craftsmanship shows in the details: the speed, the clean UX, the thoughtful features.

But perhaps most important is our transparency. We’re fully open-source. Our builds are reproducible on GitHub. We’ve gone through independent security audits and share those results openly. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—it’s not just about saying “trust us”—it’s about showing it, every step of the way. And that resonates. That’s why our community sticks with MyTonWallet and keeps growing with us.

— You are the author of several patents related to dynamic indexation and object management. How have these innovations influenced your work, and did they find application in the development of MyTonWallet?

A.Z: Those patents aren’t directly related to MyTonWallet—they came from my time at Yandex, where I worked on low-level architectural challenges like asynchronous modular systems and concurrency management. But that experience definitely influenced how we approach building the wallet. For example, designing a flexible architecture that could run smoothly across 11 different platforms was one of the key technical challenges we solved to reach a much broader audience.

So while those specific patents aren’t part of MyTonWallet, the mindset they represent—the focus on flexibility, scalability, and robust architecture—is very much at the core of how we build things here.

— How do you handle criticism of your project? Were there moments when criticism became a catalyst for change?

A.Z: Constructive criticism is super valuable. We actually welcome it, because that’s how you get better. A lot of the features our users love today started out as feedback, or even frustration. We've had people publicly point out something that was missing… and then circle back days later to say, “Thanks, you fixed it—and now I’ve switched to MyTonWallet.”

That kind of dialogue is everything. We’re not just building a product—we’re building it together with the people who use it. And that means keeping an eye on what they want, constantly adjusting, and always staying open to change.

— Security and user experience (UX) are key focuses of MyTonWallet. How do you strike a balance between these aspects?

A.Z: For starters, it’s never been a question of “security or usability”. For us, it has to be both. So we approach that as a layered strategy: first, we build a rock-solid, secure foundation. Then we focus on making that experience as smooth and intuitive for the user as possible.

Of course, no system is ever truly bulletproof. But we believe that transparency is one of the best ways to keep people safe. That’s why we stay open-source, why we invite third-party audits, and why we invest so much into clear user education. The goal isn’t just to make MyTonWallet secure—it’s to make people feel confident using it, knowing they’re in control.

— What do you see as the biggest misconceptions users have about blockchain wallets, and how does MyTonWallet help to dispel these myths?

A.Z: That’s an excellent question. We’re lucky to be working in one of the most exciting areas of technology, where decentralization, backed by advanced cryptography, replaces traditional reliance on intermediary institutions. It’s truly groundbreaking. But naturally, it takes time for people to fully embrace and understand such a significant shift.

With great power comes great responsibility—so we put a lot of focus on educating our users. Not only do we spend hundreds of hours designing an intuitive UI, sometimes enriched with helpful tips and memos, but we’ve also created our Help Center (help.mytonwallet.io)—a comprehensive resource dedicated to blockchain knowledge.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about giving people access to new tools. It’s about making sure they feel empowered, informed, and ready to use them.

— You’ve mentioned a community-focused approach. Which steps or initiatives have proven most effective in attracting 3 million users?

A.Z: Our strongest initiatives involve meaningful engagement and genuine dialogue with our community. We pay close attention to what people struggle with, what they wish was easier—and we act on it.

The priority has always been clear: solve problems that matter, and do it consistently. That’s why we focus on regular monthly releases, and why so many of our new features are directly inspired by user feedback. Our commitment to transparency and education also helps, of course.

This kind of approach builds real loyalty, and that’s what fuels our growth. The truth is, we’re already close to 10 million users—and it’s the community that got us here.

— What do you consider the turning point in MyTonWallet’s development? And what do you envision for the project and TON in the next five years?

A.Z: If I had to name one real turning point, it would be the decision to go mobile. In the early days, MyTonWallet was just a desktop and browser extension—but going mobile changed everything. That shift brought us 95% of the audience we have today. It opened up the door to a much wider community and set a whole new level of expectations for speed, convenience, and user experience.

As for the future—I’m genuinely excited about what’s ahead. We’re working closely with the amazing teams at TON Core, DeDust, and Tonscan, aiming to push transfer and swap speeds to the next level. And that’s just one part of it.

TON ecosystem is growing fast, and we see so many opportunities to keep making the experience simpler, faster, and more accessible. We have a few surprises in store, but the big picture is clear: stay close to the community, keep improving, and build tools that people genuinely enjoy using.

The story of MyTonWallet is one of attention to detail, commitment to transparency, and genuine care for users.

Step by step, Alexander Zinchuk and his team continue to grow the product, opening new opportunities for the TON community.

Their focus on security, usability, and open technologies remains unwavering, and ahead lies a future full of exciting developments and new milestones that the team is ready to reach together with their users.