Singapore-based venture fund V3V chose an unusual asset for investing: premium usernames in Telegram messenger (like @trade and @startups).
From a technical standpoint, Telegram usernames are implemented as NFTs on the TON blockchain. But unlike NFTs which are traded solely for their artistic value, these ones serve a practical purpose: those usernames can be used for public Telegram channels, private accounts or bots. They can generate organic traffic from the Telegram search, helping a channel to grow the subscribers count organically. So while other NFTs may fall out of favor with their prices dropping to near zero, utility NFTs keep their value over time, making them a promising long-term asset.
Telegram gradually evolved from being just a messenger into a “superapp” with TON integration, successful Mini Apps, and a growing list of “Telegram channels”. Those public channels gather millions of subscribers, turning some of them into full-blown media resources. And the global Telegram audience keeps on growing, currently reaching nearly a billion monthly active users. So the competition over the best usernames increases over time, making them more valuable.
That makes investing in Telegram usernames similar to investing in domain names (you might have heard of recent “friend.com” acquisition for $1.8 million), but on a growing market where the prices have more potential to rise.
An investor can just hold usernames without actually using them, or make the most of them by creating active public channels with loyal subscribers. V3V Ventures opted for the latter, creating active channels dedicated to various topics:
— @trade (stock market and trading)
— @cryp (cryptocurrencies)
— @buzz (venture capital)
— @startups
— @venture
— @anime
Telegram usernames are a part of a more broader trend: selling Telegram-related entities on TON blockchain. Telegram has doubled down on the TON integration recently, so there are also “anonymous numbers” used for logging in Telegram, “gifts” which can be implemented as NFTs, and so on. TON is growing fast over the last year, getting more transactions than ever and adding valuable assets like USDT.