Telegram's exclusive partnership with The Open Network (TON) Foundation has forced third-party cryptocurrency wallets on the messaging platform to make significant changes. Effective February 21, 2025, all third-party wallets must integrate TON Connect as their sole wallet connection protocol, according to a TON Foundation spokesperson. This move, part of Telegram's decision to make TON the only supported blockchain network for its services, has sparked controversy within the community.
The new requirement mandates that existing Mini Apps operating on other blockchains transition to TON, including bridging existing assets, migrating smart contracts, and exclusively utilizing TON Connect. Telegram will suspend wallets that fail to comply. While Telegram's default wallet service, "Wallet in Telegram," is unaffected due to its TON-based nature, some third-party wallets, such as Bitget Wallet Live, have already integrated TON Connect to enhance user and developer experiences within the Telegram ecosystem.
TON Connect, an open-source toolkit, acts as a communication protocol between wallets and apps within the TON ecosystem, enabling users to log in using TON wallets. Telegram's updated terms of service now only support interfaces with crypto wallets connected by TON Connect, effectively prohibiting tokens and NFTs from other blockchains like Ethereum and BNB.
The decision has triggered outrage among some Telegram Mini App developers, who view it as a move towards centralization and a potential threat to the platform's decentralization principles. Some, like Grindery Wallet, are considering leaving the Telegram ecosystem entirely, citing concerns about the short timeframe for adaptation and the potential impact on trust.