{"id":5644,"date":"2026-07-21T20:27:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T20:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/?p=5644"},"modified":"2026-07-21T21:29:30","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T21:29:30","slug":"telegram-to-integrate-native-non-custodial-crypto-wallet-for-its-1-billion-users","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nile1.com\/en\/2026\/07\/21\/telegram-to-integrate-native-non-custodial-crypto-wallet-for-its-1-billion-users\/","title":{"rendered":"Telegram to Integrate Native Non-Custodial Crypto Wallet for Its 1 Billion Users"},"content":{"rendered":"

Telegram<\/a> is preparing a massive push into mainstream decentralized finance by integrating a native, self-custody cryptocurrency wallet directly into its messaging platform. Founder Pavel Durov<\/a> announced that the feature will roll out across all versions of the application this summer, aiming to provide instant, fee-free digital asset transactions to the platform’s user base of more than 1 billion active monthly users.<\/p>\n

The upcoming wallet is designed specifically to support Gram, the native cryptocurrency of The Open Network (TON) blockchain. By utilizing a non-custodial architecture, the wallet ensures that users retain exclusive control over their private keys. Unlike traditional custodial systems where a financial institution or intermediary holds the funds, this framework prevents third parties from freezing, seizing, or blocking user transactions.<\/p>\n

While Telegram already features an internal bot known as @wallet, which boasts over 150 million registered users, that service operates primarily under a custodial model and is managed by a third-party entity called The Open Platform. In contrast, the newly announced wallet will be built directly into the core infrastructure of the Telegram<\/a> application, removing the need for users to search for or manually activate external bots. It remains unclear whether the new native wallet will completely replace the existing @wallet bot or exist alongside it, and details regarding key recovery mechanisms for novice users have not yet been disclosed.<\/p>\n

Durov characterized the upcoming launch as the largest rollout of a self-custody digital wallet in history. For comparison, leading web3 wallets like MetaMask, developed by Consensys<\/a>, count their active user bases in the tens of millions. Integrating a non-custodial wallet into an application with a billion-user footprint represents an unprecedented scale for day-one crypto product distribution.<\/p>\n

Following the announcement, the price of Gram reacted positively, climbing roughly 7% to break back above $1.52, bringing its total market capitalization to $4.18 billion. This upward movement offered brief relief after a challenging July during which the token experienced a 25% decline.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The integration of Gram into Telegram marks the culmination of a highly turbulent regulatory and developmental journey. Telegram originally initiated the blockchain project in 2018, securing $1.7 billion from private investors to launch a token then also called Gram. However, the project was halted when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC<\/a>)<\/a> filed a lawsuit, alleging that the token sale constituted an unregistered securities offering.<\/p>\n

To resolve the legal dispute, Telegram reached a settlement with the SEC in 2020, agreeing to return $1.2 billion to investors and pay an $18.5 million civil penalty before officially stepping away from the project. An independent community of developers subsequently kept the network functional under the name Toncoin<\/a>. Durov officially reassumed involvement with the network in 2026, and a community vote in June of that year approved an 81% majority decision to rebrand the token back to Gram, restoring its original identity.<\/p>\n

Integrating a native payment layer could transform peer-to-peer commerce and microtransactions within the app, allowing users to transfer funds as easily as sending a text message. This setup bypasses traditional banking rails, credit card networks, and transaction fees, offering a global payment channel for merchants and creators. However, market analysts suggest that the token’s broader financial outlook remains cautious.<\/p>\n

\"Gram,<\/p>\n

Technical indicators show that Gram’s 200-day exponential moving average sits comfortably above its current trading price, signaling that the asset remains in a macro bearish trend. The token is still trading significantly below its historical milestones, including its all-time high of $8.25 reached in June 2024 during a surge in Telegram-based tap-to-earn games. Additionally, reclaiming its May 2026 peak of $2.89\u2014established when Telegram first announced its official return to the network\u2014would require an 88% rally from current levels.<\/p>\n

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