Telegram users in the United States can now send, receive, and manage cryptocurrency directly within the app: no downloads, extensions, or separate logins required.
The built-in TON Wallet, developed by The Open Platform (TOP) and powered by the TON blockchain, is starting its U.S. rollout this week. It’s a self-custodial wallet, meaning users retain full control of their private keys.
The new feature allows Telegram users to send stablecoins and other digital tokens to their contacts as seamlessly as sending a message. According to the company, it marks the first time a self-custodial crypto wallet has been embedded into a mainstream messaging platform in the U.S. market.
The wallet has already seen significant global traction, with over 100 million users activating their wallets in 2024 alone. Its U.S. debut had been delayed due to regulatory uncertainties, but according to TOP CEO Andrew Rogozov, that environment is beginning to change.
“We started considering the U.S. as a more interesting opportunity for us,” Rogozov told CNBC, pointing to evolving regulations and Telegram’s growing user base. He noted that Telegram already has a large number of crypto-savvy users and called the wallet “the fundamental part of this infrastructure,” enabling users to store digital assets and engage with Telegram’s expanding ecosystem of Mini Apps.
“Our goal, our mission here, is to remove as much friction as possible,” Rogozov added. “And this is basically what crypto is trying to solve, especially at the global scale, by removing all the borders.”
To simplify onboarding, the wallet uses a split-key backup system—one part linked to the user’s Telegram account, and the other to their email.
“No need to download the wallet, no need to remember the seed phrase,” Rogozov said. “This is how we simplify the whole thing.”
TON Wallet supports peer-to-peer transfers, token swaps, staking for yield, and zero-fee crypto purchases through a partnership with MoonPay. Users can also access on- and off-ramps via debit cards and connect with decentralized applications within Telegram’s Mini Apps feature.
Telegram officially distanced itself from the TON blockchain in 2020 after regulatory pressure forced it to abandon its own token launch. Since then, however, it has quietly supported TON-based innovations like tokenized usernames, stickers, emojis, and the Fragment collectibles marketplace.
With its U.S. entry, TON Wallet could intensify competition with established crypto platforms like Cash App and Coinbase—especially if Telegram’s crypto-integrated ecosystem gains popularity among mainstream users.
For now, the wallet steers clear of directly offering regulated financial services, opting instead to work with licensed partners such as MoonPay for crypto transactions.
