Telcoin aims to revolutionize global finance by combining blockchain technology, digital banking, and telecommunications. The goal is to deliver affordable, decentralized financial (DeFi) services directly to mobile phone users worldwide, particularly those beyond the reach of traditional banking. Telcoin partners with mobile network operators and mobile money platforms to scale its services globally, reaching billions of users with fast, low-cost financial tools.

Project Function

Key products/services offered include:

• Application Layer (Telcoin App/Wallet): A mobile wallet that allows secure self-custody, fiat on/off ramps, remittances, asset swaps, KYC/AML compliance, and intuitive UX.
• The Telcoin Application Network (TAN): Enables GSMA members to build decentralized apps, further empowering decentralized innovation across telecom ecosystems.
• TELx Liquidity Engine: A DeFi marketplace enabling users to exchange TEL with other assets via decentralized automated market makers (AMMs).
• Telcoin Network (testnet): An EVM-compatible blockchain specifically secured by GSMA mobile network operators, serving as the settlement layer. Of note, the network is currently in testnet.

Token Utility 

TEL is the network’s utility token which can be used for:

• Medium of exchange and gas token: Used for transactions and fees across the Telcoin Network.
• Staking for Validators: Enables participation in network consensus, earning issuance rewards and gas fees.
• Governance power: Stakeholders (miners, liquidity providers, developers, stakers) wield governance power proportional to their TEL holdings and contributions.

About The Founders

Paul Neuner (Co-Founder & CEO): Prior to Telcoin, Paul founded Mobius Wireless Solutions, a company focused on telecom fraud management, revenue assurance, and security services for mobile network operators.He also previously founded the internet application development arm of Ernst & Young Technologies.

Claude Eguienta (Co-Founder): Claude has a background in software engineering, with a master’s degree in computer science, focusing on distributed systems. He has worked in startups and tech companies over more than a decade, particularly in areas related to blockchain, decentralized systems, and financial technology. In his earlier roles, he has been involved with other crypto / DeFi projects. For instance, he is associated with Mimo (a protocol for tokenized real-world assets / stablecoins) and also co-founded Kabotip (a crypto startup).

Risks of TEL

Like an investment in other crypto assets, there are some general risks to investing in TEL. These include:  (i) volatility risk and liquidity risk, (ii) short history risk, (iii) demand risk, (iv) forking risk, (v) code defects, (vi) regulatory risk, (vii) electronic trading risk, and (viii) cyber security risk. For additional information of these and other general risks associated with crypto assets and Uphold’s platform, please refer to the Risks Specific to Holding Digital Assets statement.

In addition to these general risks, an investment in TEL is subject to the following specific risks:

• TEL operates using smart contracts, which have an association with vulnerabilities and security breaches. Despite undergoing successful audits by well-regarded third-party entities, it is essential to acknowledge the existence of inherent risks. 

We emphasize that this Crypto Asset Statement is not an exhaustive description or summary of all risks associated with TEL. Investors should conduct their own research and perform their own assessment before trading any crypto asset to determine the appropriate level of risk for their personal circumstances.

The TEL community and Telcoin founding team are not under any legal or regulatory obligation to disclose material information to the public regarding its activities. Holders of TEL have no recourse to the TEL community, Telcoin founding team, or Uphold if TEL declines in value for any reason.

Changes to applicable law may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, or value of any of your crypto assets, and such changes may be sudden and without notice.

Uphold’s Evaluation Process

Prior to listing TEL on the Uphold Platform, Uphold performed due diligence on TEL and determined that TEL is unlikely to be a security or derivative under relevant securities legislation. Uphold’s analysis including reviewing publicly available information on the following: 

• The creation, governance, usage, and design of TEL, including ensuring the source code is open-source, audited and peer reviewed, security, and roadmap for growth in the developer community. 
• The supply, demand, maturity, utility, and liquidity of TEL.
• Any marketing materials put forward by the TEL social team including on, Twitter, Medium blog, LinkedIn posts, Discord and Telegram channels.
• Material technical risks associated with TEL, including any code defects, security breaches and other threats concerning TEL and its supporting blockchain (such as the susceptibility to hacking and impact of forking), or the practices and protocols that apply to them.
• Legal and regulatory risks associated with TEL, including any pending, potential, or prior civil, regulatory, criminal, or enforcement action relating to the issuance, distribution, or use of TEL.