Telegram is now offering its built-in crypto wallet, TON Wallet, to its substantial user base of 87 million individuals in the United States. The roll-out across the U.S. is commencing this week. This wallet is designed as a self-custodial solution, giving users total control over their crypto assets through their personal private keys.
The Open Platform (TOP) engineered this service using the TON blockchain. Its functionality allows users to seamlessly exchange digital assets like stablecoins with contacts, mirroring the ease of sending a standard message. Although Telegram has extended crypto wallet services to international users since 2023, regulatory hurdles in the U.S. previously prevented a domestic launch. According to TOP CEO Andrew Rogozov, the regulatory climate has recently evolved. Over 100 million users globally have activated their wallets in 2024.
“We’ve begun to view the U.S. market as a more promising prospect,” Rogozov stated in an interview with CNBC, highlighting changes in regulatory conditions and Telegram’s growing user numbers. He also observed the prevalence of cryptocurrency enthusiasts on the platform, describing the wallet as “a foundational element of this infrastructure,” enabling users to hold digital wealth and engage with Telegram’s expanding selection of integrated Mini Apps.
READ: Cryptocurrency Value Reaches Record $4 Trillion (July 18, 2025)
“Our objective is to minimize friction as much as possible,” Rogozov explained. “Essentially, this is what cryptocurrency aims to accomplish, particularly on a global scale, by eliminating all barriers.” He further noted that users do not need to “download a separate wallet application or keep track of complicated seed phrases.”
The TON Wallet facilitates direct user-to-user transfers, cryptocurrency swaps, staking options for yield generation, and commission-free crypto purchases through a partnership with MoonPay. Furthermore, it furnishes avenues for converting between traditional currency and cryptocurrency using debit cards and connects to decentralized applications within Telegram’s “Mini Apps” environment.
Egor Danilov, the Chief Product Officer at The Open Platform and Wallet within Telegram, mentioned to Cointelegraph that the wallet serves as the main entry point for TON’s Mini Apps. “The wallet plays a vital role, connecting users to payment solutions, games, and various on-chain tools within a familiar and frequently used platform.” He also stressed the ongoing initiatives to protect users from scams and phishing schemes.
“We are preparing to roll out features like allow lists, block lists, transaction simulations, and other sophisticated fraud detection mechanisms to help users make well-informed and safer decisions before confirming any transaction,” he added.
READ: Telegram Founder Plans to Distribute Wealth Among His Numerous Children (June 20, 2025)
Following the abandonment of its original crypto token project in 2020 due to pressure from the SEC, Telegram had previously distanced itself from the TON blockchain. Despite this, they have continued to integrate TON-related features such as tokenized usernames, stickers, and emojis, while also publicly supporting Fragment, a marketplace for digital collectibles built using the TON blockchain.
The Open Platform (TOP), the organization behind the TON Wallet, revealed the successful completion of a $28.5 million Series A funding round on July 3rd. This funding event places the company’s valuation at $1 billion. The funding round was spearheaded by Ribbit Capital, a specialist in financial technology, with involvement from Pantera Capital, a well-known crypto venture capital firm.