Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, has hinted at a series of Web3 enhancements coming to the popular messaging platform. Durov talked about the benefits that tradable usernames and channel links might have in the future, creating a marketplace where users could use them in the same way Ethereum Name Service addresses are utilized.
Telegram may receive Web3 enhancements
Digital companies are starting to see the benefits that Web3, NFTs and user-led digital marketplaces can bring to their operations. Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, one of the most popular crypto-related messaging services, has hinted at integrating some Web3 services into the platform.
Durov examined the success of a recent domain name auction on the TON network where more than 2,000 domains were sold for prices as high as $260,000. TON is the platform that Telegram dropped in 2020 due to a restraining order requested by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for selling alleged unregistered securities.
Durov said:
If TON is able to achieve these results, imagine how successful Telegram could be with its 700 million users if we put @ username, group and channel links reserved for auction.
In the aforementioned auction, domains like bank.ton and casino.ton were sold for high prices, too.
Tone reuse
The creation of the Web3 Marketplace will allow users who currently have Telegram usernames to sell these to interested third parties and receive payments for this digital asset in the same way that NFTs can be sold. This may also extend to group names, whose identity may be purchased by companies or interested third parties. Also, sticker packs and emoji can also be included in this proposed marketplace.
Durov explained that this initiative could be built on top of the TON network quickly, as the company already has the knowledge of the smart contracts structure of the system, given that it was originally designed by the Telegram. About this possibility, Durov explained:
When it comes to scalability and speed, TON may have the best technology to host such decentralized sales…we are keen to try TON as the underlying blockchain for our future market.
While Durov did not offer more details on the subject, he did mention that this update might be arriving in the coming weeks. Telegram has already integrated TON into its platform, with users having the possibility of sending toncoin, the currency of the TON network, via chat, since last May.
