Trading Stocks in a Chat App
Instead of logging into a brokerage account, Telegram users will see a new section labeled “Stocks and ETFs”, where tokenized shares of companies such as Nvidia, Coinbase, Robinhood, and MicroStrategy can be bought and sold. The first wave of assets goes live in October, with around 35 stocks available. By late 2025, the catalog is expected to exceed 60 listings, all fully collateralized 1:1 with the underlying securities.
Emerging Markets First
The rollout won’t begin in New York or London. Instead, the initiative is targeting emerging markets, where access to U.S. equities has historically been limited. Similar integrations by Backed in the past excluded the U.S. and sanctioned jurisdictions but extended to more than 170 other countries. Wallet in Telegram has not yet disclosed which regions will be included in this launch.
Built for Compliance
Unlike earlier tokenized stock experiments that faced scrutiny, this offering is being pitched as regulation-first. The xStocks products are issued under a formal prospectus and backed with full investor disclosures. Until the end of 2025, users won’t pay trading fees, though withdrawal charges will apply.
The first phase will run through Wallet in Telegram’s custodial solution, with support expanding to the self‑custodial TON Wallet later this year, giving users more control over their assets.
Bitcoin ETFs Left Out
Despite the growing popularity of Bitcoin ETFs, the new service won’t include them. Instead, Bitcoin will remain accessible in the wallet as a separate crypto purchase option.
For Telegram, the integration is more than a technical add‑on — it signals the rise of real‑world asset (RWA) tokenization on mainstream platforms. The timing is notable, too: Telegram founder Pavel Durov recently disclosed he was an early Bitcoin buyer back in 2013, underscoring the app’s long‑running ties to digital assets.
With hundreds of millions of users already on Telegram, the move could bring tokenized finance out of niche crypto exchanges and into the daily lives of retail traders worldwide.
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