Telegram Wallet Unveils ‘Vaults’ Feature to Enable Yield Generation for Bitcoin, Ether, and Tether

On Thursday, February 26, 2026, the Wallet application within the Telegram messaging platform announced the official rollout of its Vaults functionality. This new feature is integrated directly into the self-custodial TON Wallet, marking a pivotal moment for the convergence of decentralized finance (DeFi) and mainstream communication tools. By embedding these financial instruments into a platform used by millions, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between complex blockchain protocols and everyday digital interactions.

The Vaults feature empowers users to generate passive income on their holdings of Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and Tether (USDT) without ever leaving the Telegram interface. This integration effectively abstracts the underlying complexities of DeFi infrastructure, presenting a streamlined experience for a diverse global audience. Andrew Rogozov, the Chief Executive Officer of both The Open Platform and Wallet in Telegram, emphasized that the primary objective is to transform digital assets from abstract, intimidating concepts into functional, practical tools for daily use. Currently, the Wallet in Telegram platform boasts a massive user base of over 150 million registered accounts.

The technological framework supporting Vaults is built upon a sophisticated decentralized architecture consisting of three primary pillars. First is Morpho, a prominent decentralized lending network that reportedly manages over $10 billion in total deposits. Second is the TON Applications Chain (TAC), which serves as the EVM-compatible execution layer for the TON ecosystem, facilitating the seamless transfer of wrapped assets like wETH and cbBTC. Finally, Re7 acts as the dedicated strategy provider, overseeing risk management protocols and the curation of various yield-generating strategies to ensure stability and performance.

At the time of the launch, the most prominent offering is the USDT strategy, which has showcased a blended annual percentage yield (APY) reaching as high as 18%. While the yields for Bitcoin and Ether remain variable and subject to fluctuating market conditions, the platform has outlined a clear roadmap for future enhancements. Upcoming updates will allow users to deposit native BTC and ETH, which will be automatically converted into their wrapped counterparts—cbBTC and wETH—within the TON ecosystem to facilitate earning and transfer capabilities.

This latest development is part of a broader strategic push to deepen cryptocurrency integration within the Telegram environment. It follows the recent introduction of the TON Pay SDK for payments and the implementation of cross-chain deposit support via MoonPay earlier in February 2026. These initiatives represent a calculated effort to monetize Telegram’s expansive user demographic by providing sophisticated DeFi tools in a simplified, self-custodial format that prioritizes user autonomy and ease of access.

From a broader corporate perspective, the financial health of Telegram’s parent company provides critical context for these innovations. During the first half of 2025, the company reported a total revenue of $870 million, representing a substantial 65% increase compared to the previous year. A significant portion of this income—approximately $300 million—was derived from various commercial agreements linked to Toncoin (TON). However, despite the impressive growth in top-line revenue, the company faced a net loss exceeding $220 million in the same period, primarily due to the devaluation of its cryptocurrency holdings as Toncoin’s market price plummeted by 69% over the course of 2025.

Looking ahead, Telegram has set an ambitious target of reaching $2 billion in annual revenue for the full year of 2025. The company is also actively exploring the possibility of an initial public offering (IPO), though this path is currently complicated by ongoing legal scrutiny. Specifically, the investigation involving CEO Pavel Durov in France remains a significant factor that could influence the company’s future trajectory and its standing in the global financial markets. Despite these challenges, the launch of Vaults underscores Telegram's commitment to becoming a central hub for the digital economy.