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Telegram launched its first update of 2025 this week, letting users turn digital gifts into unique collectibles and adding a new way to spot real accounts from fake ones.
The messaging app now allows users to transform virtual gifts like the Jelly Bunny and Santa Hat into non-fungible tokens (NFTs). These collectibles come with custom backgrounds and unique traits. Users can buy these gifts using Telegram Stars, the app’s digital currency, and trade them across different platforms.
“Every collectible gift is a unique work of art — and some will be more rare than others,” Telegram explained in its announcement. The platform currently offers more than 20 different gifts, with more planned for the future.
To get these collectibles, users first need to buy Telegram Stars. Alternatively, they can connect their Toncoin (TON) — Telegram’s native cryptocurrency — wallet to the Fragment platform. When upgrading a regular gift to a collectible, users pay a small fee to cover blockchain costs. The value of each collectible varies based on how rare its features are. Similar to trading cards, some versions are worth more than others.
Aside from the digital collectibles, Telegram introduced a new verification system to help users know which accounts they can trust. This new system differs from the traditional blue checkmark.
Source: Telegram
Trusted organizations like schools and regulators can now give accounts their own special verification badges. These trusted groups must first prove they’re reliable before they can verify other accounts. When they approve an account, their own logo appears next to that account’s name.
Users can tap on a profile to see exactly which organization vouched for it and what that verification means. For example, a language learning channel might show that an educational authority has verified its teaching quality.
“This decentralized platform for additional verification will help prevent scams and reduce misinformation,” Telegram stated. The company believes this new approach could make social media safer by spreading verification duties across multiple trusted sources rather than keeping it in one place.
The update marks an important step for Telegram after its profitable year in 2024. The platform achieved this feat through features like premium subscriptions and digital payments. With these new additions, the company shows it can balance user safety while adding fun features that users want.
Telegram plans to add more organizations to its verification system throughout 2025, making it easier for users to identify legitimate accounts across different topics and industries.
