Gram Wallet in Telegram: what it is and how it differs from Walt
What Gram Wallet is: Telegram's own non-custodial wallet announced by Pavel Durov. What is known so far, how it differs from Walt (formerly Wallet in Telegram) and how to get access.
Gram Wallet is Telegram's own crypto wallet, named after the GRAM coin (formerly TON). Pavel Durov announced it on 21 July 2026 and called it non-custodial: the keys to the coins are held by the user, not by a service. On 31 August he wrote that the wallet was ready and open to a select group of users, with access to widen gradually to more than a billion people. Walt is a different service: it is the new name of the former Wallet in Telegram.
What is known about Gram Wallet
Below is only what Durov himself said on his channel, and what news outlets reported about Walt.
- 21 July 2026. Durov wrote that this summer would bring the largest rollout of a non-custodial crypto wallet in history, that instant zero-fee transactions for more than a billion users were about to become reality, and that a native non-custodial Gram wallet was coming to every Telegram app.
- 31 August 2026. He announced that Gram Wallet in Telegram was ready and available to a select group of users, and that over the next couple of weeks it would be opened gradually to everyone else. Validators have approved the wallet's smart contract, so future upgrades will not require migrating users' assets.
- 28 September 2026. According to the outlets crypto.news and Cryptobriefing, Wallet in Telegram was renamed Walt. They also report that Gram Wallet will take the place of the former "Wallet" in Telegram's settings.
How recovery of access works and which coins exactly the wallet supports, Durov did not say in these posts. Go by what the app itself shows, not by retellings.
What "non-custodial" means
In a non-custodial wallet, access to the coins is decided by keys that the user holds, not by a company. That means anyone who gets hold of the keys or the recovery phrase gets the coins too. What a recovery phrase is and how to store it is in what a seed phrase is.
How Gram Wallet differs from Walt
| Gram Wallet | Walt | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Telegram's own wallet, built into the app | A service formerly called Wallet in Telegram; you find it by searching for @walt |
| Keys | Held by the user: the wallet is non-custodial | In the main section (Crypto Wallet) the service holds the keys; the separate DeFi Account is non-custodial, with the keys and the recovery phrase known only to you |
| Purpose | In Walt's description, as retold by news outlets: everyday payments, transfers and purchases | Advanced features, including trading |
| Access | Gradual, at Telegram's pace | Available now |
Walt can still be used, and the name changed without moving accounts or assets. For more on wallet bots versus your own wallet, see a crypto wallet on Telegram.
How to get Gram Wallet
- Access is opened gradually: first a select group, then everyone else. When your turn comes, Durov's posts do not say.
- He wrote about a wallet inside Telegram itself, not a separate program. Check whether the wallet has appeared in the app's settings: news outlets report that it will take the place of the former "Wallet".
- Durov's posts contain no sign-up for a queue. An offer to "get access earlier" for money or for a recovery phrase is a scam.
- Before installing a "Gram Wallet" from a link in a chat or a message, make sure the link comes from Telegram itself: Durov wrote about a wallet inside Telegram, not a third-party program.
Never give a wallet's recovery phrase to anyone: not to "support", not to a bot, not to an "administrator".
GRAM and Stars in Shiba Bank
The name Gram Wallet comes from the GRAM coin, the former TON (what changed in the rename). In the Shiba Bank bot you can pay for Stars with GRAM on the TON network: the bot shows an invoice with an address, an amount and a comment, and you pay it from Tonkeeper or MyTonWallet, through TON Connect in the Shiba Bank app, or by hand, always with the comment from the invoice. How it works is in how to buy Stars with crypto.
Frequently asked questions
What is Gram Wallet in Telegram?
Telegram's own non-custodial wallet, named after the GRAM coin. Pavel Durov announced it on 21 July 2026, and on 31 August he wrote that it was ready and open to a select group of users.
How do I get Gram Wallet?
Access is opened gradually. Durov did not say when it will reach you, and he did not announce a sign-up queue. Check Telegram's settings, and do not trust anyone who promises earlier access for money.
Are Gram Wallet and Walt the same thing?
No. Walt is the former Wallet in Telegram, found at @walt. Gram Wallet is a separate wallet that Telegram builds into its app.
Is Gram Wallet custodial?
No, Durov calls it non-custodial: the user holds the keys. In Walt the main section is custodial, while the separate DeFi Account is non-custodial.
Will Gram Wallet charge fees for transfers?
Durov announced instant zero-fee transactions. His posts do not explain how that works, so check the terms in the app itself.
Can I pay for Stars from Gram Wallet?
The Shiba Bank bot accepts GRAM against an invoice: an address, an amount and a comment. Durov's posts do not say whether Gram Wallet can send such a transfer. When the wallet reaches you, check it in the app.
