Introduction

Telegram, the popular social media app, has evolved into a digital payment system. The messaging app has incorporated Telegram wallet, a feature that allows users to store, send, and receive crypto directly within the app.

This Telegram crypto wallet integration makes transacting crypto accessible, seamless, convenient, and simple for users of the messaging app.

This article will explore the Telegram wallet feature in detail, including how to set it up, how to use it for cryptocurrency transactions, and other vital details you need to know.

Where It All Began: A Brief History of Telegram Crypto Wallet

2019: Telegram decided to work with TON to build an in-app crypto wallet that runs on the TON blockchain network.
2020: The U.S. SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) filed a lawsuit against the social media app, claiming it was an unregistered security. Telegram was involved in this lawsuit because it hosted an ICO event worth $1.7 billion that year.
That same year, 2020, Telegram agreed to settle with a fine of $18.5 million. In addition, they agreed to refund unspent funds to investors.
2023: In the last quarter of the year, Telegram introduced an in-app self-custodial crypto wallet bot to expand its offering.

What is Telegram Crypto Wallet?

The Telegram Wallet is a crypto wallet integrated into the social media app. A Telegram Wallet Bot powers this cryptocurrency wallet in Telegram.

The built-in crypto wallet enables users to store, send, and receive cryptocurrencies directly within Telegram chats.

The wallet is a custodial wallet. That means Telegram is responsible for keeping your wallet's private keys safe. This way, users can always recover their crypto wallet account when they lose their password.

The Cryptocurrency wallet on Telegram allows users to carry out various crypto transactions within the app's chat interface.

Some of the activities you can perform are transferring TON to other users and exchanging, selling, and buying other crypto assets supported by the crypto wallet.

The Telegram digital wallet also allows users to send cryptocurrency to multiple Telegram users simultaneously. This feature is called “Multi Cheques,” and it enhances user interaction and engagement within the social media application.

Another feature of the social media crypto wallet is the P2P market feature. Hence, if you want to trade crypto and buy and sell crypto assets at the best rates, the Telegram crypto wallet may be a good option for you.

How To Set Up Your Telegram Crypto Wallet

Setting up a Telegram crypto wallet account is straightforward. Follow these eight steps below to get your crypto wallet running in your Telegram app in minutes.

Open a Telegram account if you're not already a registered user.
After opening your account, type @Wallet in the search bar at the top of your screen and select the Telegram Wallet Bot with a verified icon.
After the Wallet Bot interface opens, click Start to begin the process.
The bot will ask you to input a wallet password. Ensure you use a password you can remember.
You can add an extra security layer by enabling the two-factor authentication (2fa) feature.
Fund your wallet by receiving crypto from other users, buying the supported assets via your bank cards, buying via the P2P section of the app, or adding Toncoin (TON) to your portfolio via the wallet’s TON integration feature.
Start managing the assets that are stored in your wallet. You can send, track, and trade your crypto assets (by integrating them with some decentralized protocols like Tonkeeper).

How To Send and Receive Cryptocurrencies Through Telegram Wallet

Sending and receiving cryptocurrencies on Telegram is a simple process. Follow the steps below to get started on transacting crypto seamlessly on Telegram.

Sending Crypto Through Telegram Wallet

You can send crypto on Telegram in two ways:

Through Telegram Usernames
Through the Telegram Wallet Bot

How To Send Crypto Through Telegram Usernames

Select the contact you want to send crypto to and open the chat.
Click the “file clip” icon next to the message input bar at the bottom left of your chat interface.
Select the wallet icon.
Choose the crypto type you want to send from your Telegram wallet.
Input the amount of crypto assets you intend to send. You may see a real-time fiat conversion rate on Telegram, one of the features of the Telegram wallet.
After verifying all the details, confirm your transaction and authorize the crypto payment.

How To Send Crypto Through Telegram Wallet Bot

On your main Telegram chat interface, input @Wallet in the search bar at the top of your screen.
Select the Wallet Bot with a verified icon.
In the chat interface, click “Wallet” on the bottom left part of your screen.
Click “Launch Wallet” and select the Send icon with the arrow pointing upwards.
Select “Your Telegram Contact” if you want to send to a user in the app.
For external wallets, select the type of cryptocurrency you want to send and click "Continue".
Enter the recipient’s wallet address and double-check for its correctness, paste the address if you have copied it to your device’s clipboard, or scan the recipient’s QR code using the code scanner option on the wallet address bar.
Input the amount of crypto assets you intend to send.
Verify all the details again.
Confirm your transaction and authorize the crypto payment.

Receiving Crypto Through Telegram Wallet

There are three ways to receive crypto in your Telegram crypto wallet:

Through Your Telegram Username
From an External Wallet Address
Through The P2P Market

How To Receive Crypto Using Your Telegram Username

Send your username to the sender if they use a Telegram wallet.

How To Receive Crypto from An External Wallet Address

On your main Telegram chat interface, input @Wallet in the search bar at the top of your screen.
Select the Wallet Bot with a verified icon.
In the chat interface, click “Wallet” on the bottom left part of your screen.
Click “Launch Wallet” and select the Add Crypto + sign on your screen.
Select an external wallet.
Select the crypto asset you want to receive and click "Continue."
Verify your crypto account by submitting the required details. This step is only required if you are trying to transact with the app wallet for the first time.
After verification, copy the wallet address for your chosen cryptocurrency and send it to the sender.

How To Receive Crypto Through P2P Market

On your main Telegram chat interface, input @Wallet in the search bar at the top of your screen.
Select the Wallet Bot with a verified icon.
In the chat interface, click “Wallet” on the bottom left part of your screen.
Click “Launch Wallet” and select the Add Crypto + sign on your screen.
Select the P2P market option.
Select the seller you want to buy from. Select sellers with good rates and excellent ratings.
Choose the amount of USDT you want to buy.
Make a payment using the designated account details in your local currency.
Wait for the sender to transfer your asset after your payment is confirmed.

The Advantages of Telegram's Wallet Feature

The Telegram wallet has become popular in the crypto space just two years after its launch. The social media crypto wallet gained huge traction and became the choice for many crypto users due to the advantages it offers.

Some of these key advantages are:

The wallet app has a highly user-friendly interface, and it is very accessible.
It allows you to send crypto from your wallet directly within your chat interface to another user.
It offers users the convenience of using their crypto wallets from anywhere.
The wallet feature has a robust security infrastructure that protects user privacy and assets against breaches.
Telegram is compatible with a wide range of devices and operating systems. That means its wallet feature works on various OS, smartphones, and computers.
The TG crypto wallet offers various services, including sending and receiving crypto assets, trading cryptocurrencies, third-party DeFi protocol integration, and participating in various ICOs.

Security Measures - How To Secure Your Telegram Wallet

One of the major advantages Telegram offers is its solid security features. Here are the various security features Telegram offers to protect users’ assets.

Password Protection: Telegram allows wallet users to set unique passwords (4 to 6 digits) for crypto P2P transactions. Note that this wallet password is different from your 2fa code and Telegram account password.
Biometric Technology: The TG crypto wallet supports other biometric authentication features for Android and ios devices, including Touch or Fingerprint ID and Face ID.
2fa (Two-Factor Authentication): Telegram allows users to set up a secondary verification step when logging into their cryptocurrency wallets. This feature adds an extra layer of security to the account.
Private Key Custody: The wallet is custodial. Hence, the social media app is responsible for storing and managing the private keys of wallet owners. Users can always recover their accounts if they lose their passwords.

Telegram Crypto Wallet User Privacy

Telegram employs certain measures to keep its user data safe. These measures also apply to their wallet users. Some of them include:

Data Security Policies: Telegram collects users' data, including names, phone numbers, addresses, and crypto transaction histories. The social media app securely collects this data and stores it via WOT Solutions.
Cooperation with Law Enforcement Agencies: Telegram may share data from its wallet users with law enforcement agencies upon receipt of a valid and legally authorized request. This measure reduces shady activities, which helps prevent financial crimes.
Anonymous Features: TG Wallet users do not need to link their crypto wallets to their Apple or Google accounts. This user privacy measure significantly reduces the potential for data exposure.

The Limitations of Crypto Telegram Wallet

Every good product or service has its upsides and downsides. In other words, while the TG wallet app has many advantages, it still faces some limitations. Some of these limitations are:

Self-Custodial Nature: As a custodial wallet, the crypto wallet app manages the private keys of its users. While you can enjoy the opportunity to retrieve your account, you are not in control of your private keys.
Data Sharing Compliance: Telegram may share data with law enforcement. This action reveals the identity of their users.
Limited Crypto Assets: The Telegram crypto wallet currently supports a limited number of crypto assets.
Wallet Privacy Concerns: TG wallets do not offer end-to-end encryption for wallet communication.
Regional Limitation: The wallet app is not supported in some regions of the world.

Final Thoughts

This article has covered all the important details you need to know about Telegram Wallet: The feature that allows users to store, send, and receive crypto assets on Telegram.

Telegram has made a major mark in the digital world by integrating the self-custodial Telegram crypto wallet into its social media app.

Allowing users to manage their crypto assets directly from their day-to-day messaging app is a significant shift that may affect the social media chat world for as long as the ecosystem remains.

The Telegram wallet ecosystem is growing quickly, with over 100 million users in the last three years.

Its rapid growth shows the wallet is not a bad option for crypto users who want to transact crypto while interacting with friends, all in the same space.

Soon enough, we may see other messaging platforms, such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Slack, joining the trend, as demand for simple P2P crypto transactions is growing rapidly.

In addition, integrating digital payments into messaging apps is creating opportunities for seamless tipping systems, cross-border payments, and other micro-business transactions.

The Telegram wallet app is still in its early stages of development. In the coming years, the wallet may start supporting other features, including crypto staking, NFTs, asset tokenization, etc.

These advancements could transform Telegram from just a normal social media app for connecting with friends into a robust, non-traditional fintech hub.

To learn about TON wallets that you can integrate with your Telegram wallet. Read our article on the Top 4 TON Wallets for Storing Your TON and Jettons.

How to Use Telegram Wallet? Step-by-Step Crypto on Mobile