Elon Musk denies Telegram deal after Durov announces $300m xA integration
A dramatic turn of events has unfolded in the tech world, leaving a major partnership in question. Just hours after Telegram CEO Pavel Durov publicly announced a "deal in principle" worth $300 million to integrate Elon Musk's xAI chatbot, Grok, into the messaging app, Musk himself issued a swift and blunt denial, stating, "No deal has been signed." This startling contradiction has sent ripples of confusion and uncertainty through the market, particularly impacting Toncoin (TON), Telegram's associated cryptocurrency, which had surged on the initial news. Durov's initial announcement, shared widely across social media, painted a picture of a transformative collaboration. He detailed a one-year partnership that would see xAI invest $300 million in a mix of cash and equity into Telegram. Furthermore, Durov claimed that Telegram would receive a substantial 50% of all subscription revenue generated from Grok Premium and Premium+ services sold through the Teleg...