TONNode vs the official @ton/mcp
Two honest ways to give an agent TON.
The TON Foundation's @ton/mcp is a capable, official, custodial agent wallet. TONNode is a non-custodial toolkit with cross-chain reach and a hosted option. Neither is strictly "better" — here's the real difference so you can pick.
| TONNode | Official @ton/mcp | |
|---|---|---|
| Custody | Non-custodial — never signs or holds keys; returns unsigned TonConnect messages your wallet signs | Custodial — holds an operator key and signs for the agent |
| Autonomous spending | No — every transaction is signed by the wallet owner | Yes — the agent can send with its operator key |
| Cross-chain | TON → Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, BNB, Polygon, Avalanche (atomic HTLC) | TON only |
| Swaps | Firm Omniston quotes + unsigned swap tx (STON.fi + DeDust) | DEX aggregator quotes |
| Reads | balances, jettons, transactions, get-methods, jetton decimals, account state | balances, transactions, jettons, NFTs, DNS |
| Wallets | Generates standalone wallets — mnemonic and keys handed to you | Creates/imports agentic wallets (operator key) |
| Hosting | Free npx locally, or a hosted endpoint with a key — we run it | You run it (local / HTTP / serverless) |
| Backed by | TONNode · open source (MIT) | TON Foundation · open source |
Choose TONNode when
- you want strictly non-custodial — nothing signs but the user's wallet
- you need cross-chain swaps out of TON
- you'd rather call a hosted endpoint than run a server
Choose @ton/mcp when
- you want the agent to hold a spending key and act autonomously
- you need NFT or DNS tools today
- you prefer the Foundation's official package
NFT and DNS read tools are on the TONNode roadmap.