Pavel Durov Unveils Telegram’s Web3 Integration Plan for July

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has detailed how “hundreds of millions of people” will become familiarised with Blockchain technology through the messaging app this year.

On July 19, Durov announced that the messaging application will launch a Mini Apps store and an in-app browser with Web3 support by the end of July.

How Telegram Plans to Make ‘Hundreds of Million’ Familiar With Blockchain

This initiative comes as interest in Telegram Mini Apps (TMAs) surges. TMAs are lightweight, JavaScript-based services within the Telegram application. They are easy to set up and can be used for various purposes.

Recently, Telegram reported that over 500 million users interact with mini-apps monthly to buy products, access services, and play games. The platform’s integration with the TON blockchain has led to a surge in crypto-based games , especially following the success of the Notcoin tap-to-earn game.

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Earlier this month, Durov praised Hamster Kombat , another tap-to-earn game, for its rapid growth. The game onboarded 239 million users in three months, averaging 4-5 million daily. Considering this success, Durov plans to “keep the fire going” by making Telegram the “epicenter of [blockchain’s] societal transformation.”

“2024 will go down in history as the year when hundreds of millions of people became familiar with blockchain. We’re proud that Telegram is at the epicenter of this societal transformation,” Durov stated .

However, a crypto enthusiast known as Woody Lightyear on social media platform X expressed skepticism. He commented that the tap-to-earn trend might just be another hype that will come and go.

“This culture of telegram mini app gaming is a beautiful thing with great potential, but I am yet to see a team, or project, that’s acknowledging its current limitations and strategically building against the limitations,” Lightyear added .

Nonetheless, market experts believe Durov’s plan will significantly boost Web3 adoption by making the technology accessible to millions who use the Web2 messaging app. However, the rising popularity could also attract malicious players looking to take advantage of crypto noobs. Notably, Web3 security platform Slow Mist recently reported a rise in phishing activities targeting the TON blockchain network users.

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Durov acknowledged this, stating that public user accounts will now display the month and country of registration. Additionally, Mini Apps will be able to issue labels for channels, thereby creating a decentralized marketplace for third-party verification.

“Soon, Telegram will begin displaying the month of registration and principal country for public accounts (similar to Instagram). We will also allow organizations to use their mini apps to issue labels for channels, creating a decentralized marketplace for third-party verification,” He added.