Telegram founder is considering NFT-like smart contract usernames

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, a social instant-messaging app, is considering NFT technology as part of its ecosystem. The app might start selling usernames using NFT-like smart contracts.

Telegram is the most famous cloud-based messaging app in the NFT community. Almost every NFT project has a Telegram channel where holders or members can chat with other members.

Telegram has around 700M users from all over the world. Durov believes an NFT marketplace will be a huge success where users can put up usernames, groups, and channel links for auction.

“This would create a new platform where username holders could transfer them to interested parties in protected deals, with ownership secured on the blockchain via NFT-like smart contracts,”  he said.

Telegram usernames are just like Twitter usernames. By adding an NFT-like smart contract, these usernames will have digital ownership.

The usernames have become a valuable digital asset to own after the ENS domain names were sold for thousands of dollars. For Durov, Telegram can also adopt NFT technology in its ecosystem.

Telegram is still exploring various aspects of NFT technology that the platform could adopt for its users. Durov’s opinion on the NFT marketplace might hint at a possible launch in the future.

Telegram was also involved with The Open Network (TON) to create the layer-1 blockchain to auction domain names. The founder’s interest might’ve perked after the success of this project.

As of now, no details about the NFT marketplace have been released except the consideration by Telegram’s founder.