The announcement was made on July 21 by Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov. In a post on his personal Telegram channel, he said the rollout would become the largest distribution of a non-custodial crypto wallet in history and would allow more than 1 billion users to conduct instant cryptocurrency transactions with zero fees.
According to the announcement, Telegram plans to integrate a non-custodial Gram wallet into all versions of the app. Users will no longer need to search for and activate a separate wallet service. In effect, the company aims to transform cryptocurrency from an optional feature into part of Telegram’s everyday messaging infrastructure. Unlike centralized exchanges, a non-custodial wallet allows users to maintain direct control over their private keys and assets without relying on a third-party custodian. However, users are also fully responsible for securing their keys and recovering access if they lose control of the wallet.
Telegram Deepens Its Cryptocurrency Integration
Wallet in Telegram is already available within the messenger, allowing users to store and transfer digital assets. Earlier this year, the service reported more than 150 million registered accounts.
However, Durov’s latest announcement appears to point to a much deeper level of integration, with the Gram wallet expected to become available directly across all Telegram applications. It remains unclear whether the new wallet will completely replace Wallet in Telegram or whether the two products will operate alongside each other. Just one month earlier, Durov supported the renaming of The Open Network’s native token from Toncoin (TON) to Gram (GRAM), the name used in the project’s original white paper. The blockchain itself retained the name The Open Network, while only the token’s name, ticker and logo were changed.
The community approved the proposal with 81.22% of the vote, and the rebranding took effect on June 15.
According to recent reports, Telegram has also replaced the TON Foundation as the main organization leading the ecosystem and has become the network’s largest validator. This marks a significant shift after several years during which TON was operated and developed by an independent community.
History of Telegram and TON
Telegram launched the TON project in 2018 with the goal of building a blockchain capable of serving hundreds of millions of users. However, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) blocked the issuance of GRAM tokens, arguing that the token sale violated US securities laws. Telegram was subsequently forced to abandon the project and return $1.2 billion to investors, after which the network continued to be developed by an independent community.
Telegram is now effectively returning to active participation in the ecosystem. With an audience of more than 1 billion users, the company has an advantage that most blockchain projects and crypto wallets cannot replicate: direct access to a vast Web2 user base.
GRAM Price Rises Nearly 10%
Following Durov’s announcement, the GRAM price rose by almost 10% and recovered to around $1.56 per token.
Despite the increase, the asset continues to trade well below its all-time high of approximately $8.25, reached in June 2024 during the boom in Telegram-based tap-to-earn games. GRAM is currently trading around 81% below its record level.
Conclusion: According to the FORECK.INFO editorial team, an integrated wallet could turn Telegram into one of the largest channels for mass cryptocurrency adoption by significantly simplifying access to digital assets for Web2 users. However, sustained growth in GRAM will depend not only on the scale of the integration, but also on actual wallet usage, asset security and regulatory restrictions.
As Telegram prepares to integrate a non-custodial wallet into all of its apps, choosing a reliable solution for independently storing digital assets is becoming increasingly important. Users can compare security, features, supported cryptocurrencies and customer reviews in the FORECK.INFO crypto wallet ranking.
