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Smart contracts

In TON, every account can be more than just a balance holder — it can also contain code and data. When both are present, the account becomes a smart contract.

  • Code — the program logic that defines how the contract reacts to incoming messages.
  • Data — the storage that keeps the contract’s state between transactions.

Smart contracts are actors: they don’t call each other directly, but exchange messages (transactions). This follows the actor model:

  • Isolation: contracts cannot directly read each other’s storage.
  • Asynchronous communication: messages are delivered and processed independently.

TON Virtual Machine​

The TON Virtual Machine (TVM) is the environment where smart contracts are executed. It works like a tiny computer inside the blockchain, designed for efficiency and security.

  • TVM reads the contract’s code (stored as cells).
  • It processes messages sent to the contract.
  • It updates the contract’s data according to the code logic.
  • It may generate outgoing messages to other contracts.

Learn more in the TVM overview section.

Key features​

  • Deterministic execution: given the same inputs, TVM always produces the same outputs.
  • Stack-based design: computations are performed on a stack of values.
  • Gas system: each operation costs gas, preventing infinite loops.
  • Continuation cells: special cells used by TVM to store executable code.

Why it matters​

Smart contracts and TVM together make TON a programmable blockchain — not just a ledger, but a platform where apps and services can run.

Learn more about smart contracts in the Smart contract documentation.

See also​

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