Key facts
- Telegram plans to launch a native non-custodial Gram wallet this summer.
- The wallet will enable instant, fee-free cryptocurrency transactions.
- The Open Network's native token will be renamed from Toncoin to Gram.
- The move aims to bring self-custody crypto payments to over 1 billion users.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced that the messaging platform will introduce a native non-custodial Gram wallet this summer. This initiative aims to bring self-custody crypto payments to its user base of over 1 billion monthly active users. Durov stated that the wallet will facilitate instant, fee-free cryptocurrency transactions, describing it as potentially the largest rollout of a non-custodial crypto wallet globally. The existing @wallet bot, operated by a separate company, runs partly in custodial mode, whereas the new wallet will be non-custodial from the start.
The announcement coincides with The Open Network's plan to rename its native token from Toncoin to Gram, reviving the cryptocurrency's original name from Telegram's 2018 white paper. This rebrand is positioned as a return to the project's origins and is part of a broader strategy to integrate more crypto services and Web3 functionalities into the Telegram platform. Telegram has been increasingly supportive of the TON ecosystem since settling with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2020 regarding its initial blockchain project. The TON blockchain has recently been upgraded to be 10x faster with sub-second transactions, with plans to further reduce transaction fees.
Gram, the native token of The Open Network, jumped roughly 7% on the announcement, partially offsetting a 25% slide through July. However, the coin remains significantly below its all-time high set in June 2024 and its May 2026 peak, requiring an 88% rally to recover to the latter. Specifics regarding the new wallet's coexistence with the existing @wallet bot, supported assets beyond Gram, and key management for new users remain unannounced.