Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has hinted at a new non-fungible token (NFT) feature for its recently introduced “Gifts” platform, allowing users to convert digital gift images into NFTs.
These “Gifts” are artworks or animated images that users can send along with personalized messages for holidays or special occasions.
Recipients can display the images as profile pictures or convert them into in-app currency called “Stars,” which can be used to purchase digital items like e-books, online courses, or items in Telegram games via bots.
In a message shared on October 5, Durov revealed that by the end of this year, Telegram users will be able to convert these gift images into NFTs on the TON blockchain.
Once converted, users will have the option to auction or trade the tokenized images outside of the Telegram platform. This would open new avenues for how users interact with the gifts they receive, moving beyond the app’s ecosystem.
Plans to tokenize Telegram stickers and emojis using NFTs on the TON network were pre-announced in April at the Token2049 event in Dubai, where Durov described the move as the “next step” for the platform.
Nonetheless, this isn’t Telegram’s first exploration of NFT-related features.
Telegram has also previously ventured into the NFT space in 2022, when Durov hinted at the creation of a marketplace that would use “NFT-like smart contracts” to auction popular usernames. The idea led to the launch of Fragment, where users can trade Telegram usernames, such as “@storm” or “@royal,” using Toncoins as the currency.