Telegram launched a self-custodial crypto wallet for U.S. users on July 22-23, 2025, integrating it directly into the messaging app. Users can buy, swap, stake, and transfer cryptocurrencies like TON, USDT, and Bitcoin without fees through partnerships with MoonPay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The wallet eliminates the usual complexity and third-party custody issues that keep regular people away from crypto. Over 100 million global users already activated similar features before the U.S. rollout, positioning Telegram as the first major social app to offer integrated crypto management stateside. The implications stretch far beyond simple transactions.
Why would anyone want to manage crypto through a messaging app? Telegram apparently thinks 87 million Americans do. The messaging giant officially launched its crypto wallet for U.S. users on July 22-23, 2025, bringing self-custodial crypto management directly into the app where people already spend hours texting.
This isn’t some half-baked add-on requiring downloads or browser extensions. The wallet runs on The Open Network (TON), a layer-1 blockchain that Telegram originally developed. Users access it through a simple “Wallet” section in the Telegram menu. That’s it. No complicated setup, no blockchain jargon, no headaches. Despite market volatility causing widespread concern in 2025, Telegram’s integration offers a stabilizing presence in the crypto ecosystem.
The wallet supports multiple cryptocurrencies including TON, USDT, Bitcoin, and other tokens. Users can swap tokens, stake crypto, and send peer-to-peer transfers that feel as simple as sharing a meme. The self-custodial design means users control their private keys and funds completely. No third parties holding your money hostage.
Here’s where it gets interesting: zero-fee crypto purchases. Telegram partnered with MoonPay, Apple Pay, and Google Pay to eliminate those annoying on-ramp fees that usually bite chunks out of your purchases. Want to buy crypto with your credit card? Done. No fees.
The timing seems calculated. Regulatory clarity around crypto has improved in American markets, and Telegram is positioning itself as the first mass-market social app in the U.S. with integrated self-custodial wallet features. Over 100 million users globally already activated similar wallet features before the U.S. rollout.
The wallet taps into TON’s expanding ecosystem of decentralized “Mini Apps” for financial services. Users can trade, stake, and interact with DeFi protocols without leaving their chat threads. It’s social media meeting financial technology, whether that combination thrills or terrifies you. The platform recently demonstrated its influence in the digital asset space when Snoop Dogg’s collection sold out $12 million worth of nearly 996,000 digital collectibles in just 30 minutes.
Telegram fundamentally eliminated the friction that keeps regular people away from crypto. No separate apps, no complex interfaces, no confusing terminology. Just crypto management embedded where people already live digitally. The integration transforms Telegram into a crypto gateway beyond its traditional messaging capabilities.
The company is betting that convenience will drive adoption among users who might never have touched cryptocurrency otherwise. Whether this democratizes crypto access or creates new complications remains to be seen.
