Telegram is preparing to make cryptocurrency a built-in feature for its global user base with the launch of a native self-custody wallet that could significantly expand access to digital assets.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has announced that the messaging platform will introduce Gram Wallet, a native non-custodial cryptocurrency wallet, to all Telegram users later this summer. The wallet will be integrated directly into the Telegram app, allowing more than 1 billion users to send and receive cryptocurrencies instantly without transaction fees.
Unlike Telegram’s existing @Wallet bot, which operates as a custodial service where a third party manages users’ private keys, Gram Wallet will be fully self-custodial. This means users will have complete control over their private keys and digital assets, giving them full ownership of their funds without relying on an intermediary.
Announcing the product, Durov described the launch as “the largest rollout of a non-custodial crypto wallet in human history.” He added that integrating the wallet into every Telegram app would allow users to complete instant cryptocurrency transfers without fees while maintaining full control over their assets.
The new wallet is closely tied to Gram, the digital asset that Durov recently said would become the new name for Toncoin, the native token of The Open Network (TON). Gram was originally the name of Telegram’s cryptocurrency project before regulatory action by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission forced the company to abandon the original TON project in 2020. Since then, development of the blockchain has continued under the independent TON Foundation, while Telegram has gradually expanded its integration with the ecosystem.
Telegram has steadily increased its support for blockchain services over the past few years. In 2023, the company adopted TON as its exclusive Web3 infrastructure partner and integrated TON-based wallet services into the platform. Since then, the ecosystem has expanded to include Mini Apps, digital collectibles, tokenised gifts and blockchain-based payment services, making Telegram one of the largest consumer platforms embracing Web3 technologies.
The launch of Gram Wallet represents Telegram’s biggest step yet toward making cryptocurrency accessible to mainstream users. By embedding a self-custody wallet directly into the messaging application, Telegram removes many of the barriers that have traditionally discouraged new users from managing digital assets, such as downloading separate wallet applications or relying on centralised exchanges.
Although Telegram has confirmed the wallet will launch this summer, the company has not yet announced a specific release date or disclosed additional technical details, including which cryptocurrencies will be supported at launch.
If successfully deployed, Gram Wallet could become one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency wallet launches by user reach. With access to more than one billion Telegram users, the integration has the potential to accelerate mainstream adoption of self-custody while further strengthening the relationship between Telegram and the TON ecosystem.
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