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Telegram now requires third-party crypto wallets to use TON Connect, restricting Mini Apps to the TON blockchain and prompting concerns about decentralization and exclusivity.
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Cryptocurrency wallets on Telegram may have to make some changes following the messenger’s exclusive partnership with The Open Network (TON) Foundation.
Telegram’s third-party crypto wallets must now use TON Connect as their exclusive wallet connection protocol, a spokesperson for the TON Foundation told Cointelegraph.
The new requirement is part of Telegram’s partnership with the TON Foundation, which made TON the only supported blockchain network for its messenger services.
The foundation’s representative said that existing Mini Apps operating on other blockchains must transition to TON by Feb. 21, including bridging existing assets, migrating smart contracts and exclusively utilizing TON Connect.
Telegram will suspend wallets that fail to integrate TON Connect
Wallet in Telegram — a third-party crypto wallet offered as a default Telegram’s wallet service — will not be affected by the new requirements.
“The Wallet in Telegram is unaffected because it’s TON-based and only supports TON Connect for decentralized application interactions,” a spokesperson for the TON foundation said, adding:
“After the migration period ends, third-party wallets that haven’t adopted TON Connect won’t be supported.”
Some third-party wallets on Telegram had integrated TON Connect before Telegram announced its exclusive partnership with TON.
Bitget Wallet Live, a multichain wallet launched in October 2024, said it integrated TON connect to “enhance user and developer experiences” within the Telegram ecosystem on Jan. 16.
“Bitget Wallet remains committed to supporting the Telegram and TON ecosystem as it evolves,” Bitget Wallet chief operating officer Alvin Kan told Cointelegraph.
“With the integration of TON Connect into Bitget Wallet Lite, users can now interact with the TON ecosystem directly from Telegram, simplifying access to blockchain services,” he said.
What is TON Connect?
TON Connect is an open-source toolkit that serves as a “universal application authorization standard” or a communication protocol between wallets and apps within the TON ecosystem.
The toolkit enables users to log into applications and services using TON wallets instead of more commonly used logins and passwords.
TON Connect is a communication protocol between wallets and apps in TON. Source: Docs.ton.org
According to Telegram’s updated terms of service, the messenger will only support interfaces with crypto wallets connected by the TON Connect.
An excerpt from Telegram’s terms of service related to TON Connect. Source: Docs.ton.org
“Tokens and NFTs [non-fungible tokens] on other blockchains like Ethereum and BNB are not permitted,” the terms of service noted.
An impending exodus of Telegram Mini Apps?
Telegram’s decision to limit its Mini App ecosystem to exclusively support TON has triggered outrage within the community, with many questioning Telegram’s decentralization pursuit and even TON’s capability to remain stable with an influx of network activity.
Some Telegram Mini Apps, such as Grindery Wallet, have considered leaving the Telegram ecosystem following the changes.
Related: Telegram’s TON exclusivity ‘not a limitation but a necessity’ — Steve Yun
“Telegram is following in the footsteps of Big Tech by creating monopolies,” Grindery co-founder and CEO Tim Delhaes told Cointelegraph. He stated:
“The fact that they gave their partners — the developers building on Telegram — only a few days to adjust makes it rather challenging. This could significantly erode trust in Telegram and what it once stood for.”
Grindery emphasized that, as a multichain wallet with its primary token on TON, it remains fully compliant while continuing to support and build an “inevitable multichain future outside Telegram.”
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This article first appeared at Cointelegraph.com News
