Alex is a regular person. Works in marketing, reads Reddit more than they should, and has a college buddies group chat that’s 90% memes and 10% planning a reunion that never happens.

Lately, the chat’s been looking...different. People are sending animated stickers, but talking about them like they’re Pokémon cards. “I just got a drop!” “Check out this rare one!” Alex is confused. They look like fun Telegram stickers, sure—but what’s with the collector vibes?

Non-fungible…okay, what are NFTs?

Let’s rewind. NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are digital items you can own. Unlike a JPEG you save from Google, these are tracked on a blockchain network—so you know who has what, when it was made, and how rare it is.

Source: BAYC | Monkey business just got serious – check out these Bored Apes!

They started as artsy flexes—remember Bored Apes and CryptoPunks?—but lately they’ve grown into collectibles with use cases, like game items, memberships, and even tickets. Some are fun. Some are useful. Some are both.

Source: Getgems | Ginger Cookies NFT Gifts – delicious, vibrant and 100% on-chain.

TON NFTs: what makes them different?

Alex finally asks a friend: “What are these things you keep sending?”

“They’re TON NFTs,” the friend replies casually. “You don’t need complicated wallets, expensive gas fees, or have any such stress. It’s just part of Telegram now. And they have a huge NFT collection.”

Here’s what Alex finds out:

• TON = The Open Network, a blockchain that works directly with Telegram. It’s also the world’s fastest blockchain.
• You can send and receive NFTs inside Telegram chats.
• Transactions are cheap and fast. No $200 fees just to trade a cartoon panda.
• You don’t need to set up a clunky wallet from a separate app. Telegram has it built in or works with apps like Tonkeeper.
• Digital gifts and stickers become collectibles—some are rare, some are animated, some are just fun in a good way.

Let’s take a closer look at NFT Gifts and Stickers.

What are NFT Gifts and Stickers?

NFT Gifts are digital presents you can send to friends right inside Telegram. Once received, they live on your profile and can be upgraded into a collectible or traded after 14 days. Some collections can also be staked for rewards on Tonnel.

NFT Stickers are limited-edition packs you can own and use in chats. You can buy them with various tokens, and they’ll soon be minted on-chain for verified ownership and trading.

TON NFTs go beyond just Gifts and Stickers. You’ll also find collectible usernames, anonymous numbers, DNS domains, and early OG collections like TON Punks and Lost Dogs—all live on marketplaces like Getgems and Fragment.

Wait… what even is Telegram?

Telegram is a messaging app—just like WhatsApp or iMessage—but with way more features. With over 1 billion monthly active users, it supports public channels and runs mini apps and bots that can do everything from running polls to launching games or even selling merch.

✅ 1 billion monthly active users — milestone reached. pic.twitter.com/ZfwWcrFCGu

— Pavel Durov (@durov) March 19, 2025

Thanks to its exclusive partnership with TON, Telegram is now more than just a chat app. It’s also becoming a gateway to Web3. You can send and collect NFTs, trade tokens, and even use blockchain-based mini apps without leaving the app.

How to get started

Alex is intrigued and wants to try it out. They soon discover that getting their first NFT on TON is easy.

Here's an explainer of Alex’s experience, from how to create and start using a wallet to making the first NFT purchase.

1. Get a wallet: Create a @wallet on Telegram or download an app like Tonkeeper.
2. Buy some TON: It’s the token used to buy stuff on the network.
3. Browse a marketplace: Check out sites like Getgems, Fragment, and Tonnel to see what people are trading.
4. Collect and trade: NFTs range from limited-edition gifts to game items, usernames, anonymous numbers, and even DNS domains. You’ll also find OG collections like NOT Wise, Lost Dogs, and TON Punks—projects that paved the way for the ecosystem and still hold a special place in the community.

💡 Check out our full guide to buying, selling, and using TON NFTs.

So, why are people obsessed?

For collectors, it’s not about flipping NFTs for millions (though hey, it happens). It’s about collecting stuff that feels like it belongs in your day-to-day or becomes part of your personality.

TON NFTs are built around conversation, collecting, fun, and utility. Here’s what Alex discovered during their research:

1. Usernames, numbers, and domains – Telegram usernames, anonymous numbers, and .ton domains are tradable NFTs you can buy on Fragment and Getgems. These aren’t just vanity handles—they double as wallet addresses and digital IDs across Telegram and Web3.

2. NFT Gifts and Stickers – Buy limited-edition digital gifts and stickers with Telegram Stars or tokens like TON, NOT, or DOGS. Gifts can be upgraded, worn as emoji statuses, and moved to the blockchain. Stickers bought with Stars (Telegram’s in-app currency linked to Toncoin) can be collected, held, and will soon be tradable in the Market.

3. NFTs as access passes – NFTs can act like digital tickets for concerts, private events, or VIP Telegram communities. They’re secure, tradable, and can come with post-event extras.

4. Game items & virtual economies – NFTs represent skins, characters, or power-ups in TON-based games. Thanks to on-chain storage, players can trade them freely across games and platforms.

5. Soulbound Tokens (SBTs) – These non-transferable NFTs serve as credentials or proof of participation. Earn SBTs through TON events or community campaigns via TON Society.

What type of NFT are you?

Source: Getgems | Are you one of the many Plush Pepes? There’s a Pepe for every mood.

Source: Sticker Pack | Or maybe you’d rather flex your Ws & Ls to your new Web3 fam?

Recent TON NFT Sticker sales have captured significant attention.

The latest Pengu x Baby Shark sticker drop on TON sold out in seconds. That’s not a fluke. It follows a trend we’re seeing across the board: sticker collections on TON are disappearing almost as fast as they’re listed.

BREAKING: Pudgy Penguins launched 2 collections of Telegram NFT Stickers in collaboration with Baby Shark.

- 888/888 were sold out in seconds
- 2nd collection of 8888 is still accessible

It’s probably nothing… 🐧🦈👀 https://t.co/q4xCDx0EPy pic.twitter.com/GjahT2oqKp

— Viktor 🧡 (@s0meone_u_know) March 26, 2025

The Valentine’s Day Gifts drop featuring 2,000 hearts sold out in just 6 minutes, with the entire collection selling out within a few hours, generating over $5 million in sales.

BREAKING: Pavel Durov has over 2,000 Telegram NFT Gifts, worth over $100k in $TON according to my estimations.

How many do you own? 🫵🎁 pic.twitter.com/GO22HvF7IB

— Viktor 🧡 (@s0meone_u_know) April 5, 2025

NFT Stickers and Gifts open up new ways to interact, connect, and own things online:

• Send a digital gift for someone’s birthday? Sure.
• Share a sticker you got from the Sticker Store? Easy.
• Join a community that drops exclusive items? That too.

It also helps that it doesn’t cost a kidney to participate.

Alex’s first NFT

Alex ends up buying a tiered birthday cake gift they saw on Telegram. They send it to a friend with the caption “Happy Birthday!”

That friend sends a psychedelic mushroom back.

Alex laughs. They check their Telegram profile and see it there, logged forever.

Maybe this NFT stuff isn’t so weird after all.

Keep up with all things TON NFTs:

• Guide – How to buy, sell, and use TON NFTs
• Collectibles (TG) – https://t.me/collectibles
• Sticker Pack (TG) – https://t.me/sticker_bot
• Sticker Community (TG) – https://t.me/sticker_community

Disclaimer: The Open Network (TON) does not promote, support, or endorse any third-party cryptocurrency projects, tokens, or initiatives. Any claims of affiliation or endorsement by TON are false and should be disregarded. Participants are encouraged to conduct their own thorough research and exercise caution when engaging with third-party projects or platforms. TON assumes no responsibility or liability for any actions, investments, or decisions made in relation to such projects.