Telegram users in the United States can now send and receive cryptocurrency directly inside the app. No downloads. No browser extensions. No separate logins.
The new feature, TON Wallet, is built into Telegram’s interface. It’s self-custodial, meaning users control their private keys. You own your crypto, not the platform.
Developed by The Open Platform (TOP) and powered by the TON blockchain, the wallet began its U.S. rollout this week. It’s the first time a self-custodial crypto wallet is embedded into a mainstream messaging app in the U.S.
Over 100 million users activated TON Wallet globally in 2024. But the U.S. launch was delayed due to regulatory uncertainty. That’s changing.
“We started considering the U.S. as a more interesting opportunity for us,” said TOP CEO Andrew Rogozov. He pointed to Telegram’s growing crypto-savvy user base and shifting regulations.
“The wallet is the fundamental part of this infrastructure,” he added. “Our goal, our mission here, is to remove as much friction as possible. And this is basically what crypto is trying to solve, especially at the global scale, by removing all the borders.”
Crypto Made Simple—No Seed Phrase Needed
TON Wallet uses a split-key backup system. One part links to your Telegram account, the other to your email. “No need to download the wallet, no need to remember the seed phrase,” Rogozov said. “This is how we simplify the whole thing.”
The wallet supports peer-to-peer transfers, token swaps, staking for yield, and zero-fee crypto purchases via MoonPay. Users can buy USDT and Toncoin with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or debit cards—no fees attached.
It also offers off-ramp features, allowing users to withdraw crypto directly to bank cards. And it connects with Telegram’s Mini Apps, giving access to decentralized games, marketplaces, and DeFi tools.
Telegram officially distanced itself from the TON blockchain in 2020 after SEC pressure forced it to abandon its token launch. But it never walked away completely.
Since then, Telegram has quietly supported TON-based features like tokenized usernames, stickers, emojis, and the Fragment collectibles marketplace.
A New Challenger to Coinbase and Cash App?
With over 87 million users in the U.S., Telegram’s TON Wallet could shake up the crypto space. It’s frictionless, fast, and familiar—like sending a message.
By embedding crypto into everyday chat, Telegram is positioning itself as a “super app”—a place where users can talk, trade, play, and pay.
For now, TON Wallet avoids offering regulated financial services directly. Instead, it partners with licensed providers like MoonPay to handle fiat transactions.
But if adoption grows, platforms like Coinbase and Cash App may have a new rival on their hands.
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