Telegram has begun rolling out a built-in Gram wallet, separate from the previous Wallet service, now called Walt. I don't like how prominent the new feature has become: after an unsolicited transfer, a wallet balance appeared on my Telegram profile.
An unwanted transfer activated my wallet
In my case someone sent a small amount of Gram with an advertising message attached. This kind of blockchain spam uses a transfer and its comment to reach the recipient. After the transfer, my wallet became visible. You can see the profile I am referring to at @xmlans in a recent Telegram version, subject to the app's current display rules.
The rollout has not necessarily reached every account or region. During the early rollout, Telegram Info reported that receiving at least 0.1 GRAM could make the wallet available to users who had not yet received it. That describes a reported access mechanism and my experience, not a guarantee that every account behaves identically.
A balance on the profile
My concern is that the balance can be shown on a personal profile, drawing people into the crypto ecosystem even if they did not seek it out. I find that intrusive. Telegram Info reported that in the October 13.1 update a profile wallet card shows the balance, and that a balance below 0.01 GRAM was hidden in the versions it examined. The 0.1 GRAM transfer used in early rollout should not be confused with this separately reported display threshold; behavior may change with app version and settings. I could not independently verify a universal opt-out or current threshold for every platform.
For context, TON identifies Gram (GRAM), formerly Toncoin, as the native coin of the TON blockchain. GRAM is not USDT: unlike a dollar-pegged stablecoin, its price can fluctuate.
Transfers and my view
One welcome feature is the reported allowance of up to five GRAM transfers per day without a TON network fee. Telegram Info's rollout report notes that the first transaction can incur a smart-contract initialization fee; availability and fees can change, so check the confirmation screen before sending. This does not mean all crypto transfers or third-party services are free.
Personally, I feel Telegram is adding too many features I don't need. The unexpected profile balance and advertising transfer are a good example of why this update bothers me. An unsolicited transfer does not require you to follow the message's links or connect a wallet to an unfamiliar service.
Translated from the original Chinese article, published October 27, 2026. The experience and opinions are the author's; rollout and fee details are attributed to the cited reports.
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