Telegram is going deeper into the crypto industry, and it’s bringing some fun along for the ride!
This week, the company announced a new feature that allows users to turn digital gifts into tradable NFTs on The Open Network.
NFTs on the network
Starting in February 2025, Telegram will let users convert their animated gifts, like the adorable Jelly Bunny and festive Santa Hat, into NFTs using Telegram Stars, its in-app currency linked to Toncoin.
This means you can take those cute gifts you’ve been collecting and transform them into unique collectibles for a small fee that covers blockchain costs.
While Telegram says this feature is live, some users haven’t been able to access it just yet.
When you upgrade a gift, it gets a fresh new look crafted by Telegram artists, complete with fun extras like background colors and icons.
Once you’ve got your new NFT, you can trade it with friends or even auction it off on secondary TON marketplaces like Getgems.
Web3 is the way?
This update is just the latest move in Telegram’s ongoing venture into the world of Web3, as last year, they launched TON Space, a self-custody wallet that makes it easy for users to access The Open Network.
In early 2024, they announced plans to share ad revenue with channel owners in TON.
A few months later, they introduced Stars, an in-app currency you can buy with regular money, which allows developers to sell digital goods through Telegram mini apps and games.
Those Stars can then be exchanged for TON tokens. This addition coincided perfectly with the rise of Telegram’s tap-to-earn gaming ecosystem, which has attracted millions of players and led to some exciting crypto token airdrops.
Circular economy?
Dr. Awesome Doge, a pseudonymous developer from TON shared that this is just the beginning, and he believes that as independent companies engage with Telegram’s massive user base, we’ll see even more complex mini apps popping up.
TON has already climbed to become the 15th largest cryptocurrency by market cap and even hit an ATH of $8.25 last June.
Originally known as the Telegram Open Network, TON had to pivot after regulatory challenges forced Telegram to step back in 2020.
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