Telegram will enter the blockchain world with smart contracts similar to NFTs, but that has nothing to do with this digital art. Pavel Durov, founder of the instant messaging app, has reported that they will launch an auction platform to sell usernames on The Open Network (TON) blockchain.
The inspiration for this idea comes from TON’s own username auction for its wallets. In fact, ‘casino.ton’ managed to sell it for more than $200,000 (about 203,300 euros). “If TON has been able to achieve these results, imagine the success Telegram could have with its 700 million users if we could auction off reserved usernames, groups and channel links,” Durov said.
In addition, the app’s founder mentioned that other elements of the platform could be auctioned off at a later date: “Including channels, stickers, or emojis.”
The marketing of usernames is a good measure if we take into account that Telegram does not allow two accounts with the same name and more and more people opt for it as a messaging app. However, this is not the first time that the platform has tried to break into the world of cryptocurrencies.
A few years ago, Telegram launched Gram, a cryptocurrency that was intended to be part of Ethereum-based TON Payment. Nonetheless, the Durov brothers ran into trouble with U.S. regulators over the unregistered sale of their token and ended up putting the project aside to focus on others.