Telegram's crypto wallet, Wallet in Telegram, will soon allow users to trade tokenized US equities and ETFs through a partnership with Kraken and tokenization platform Backed. The rollout is scheduled to begin in October 2025 and is among the most extensive consumer-facing launches of tokenized equities to date.
Telegram's Wallet has confirmed that the initial integration will facilitate the trading of over 60 tokenized stocks and ETFs. Users will have access to assets such as Apple (AAPL), Tesla (TSLA), Nvidia (NVDA), and the S&P 500 index (SPY). The preliminary rollout is scheduled within the custodial Wallet on Telegram, with plans to extend this functionality to the self-custodial TON Wallet by the conclusion of the fourth quarter 2025.
The wallet will feature a dedicated "Stocks and ETFs" section, allowing users to access these investment options easily. The initial launch will concentrate on emerging markets, in alignment with Backed's objective to enhance financial accessibility in developing regions. This offering will be fully collateralized at a 1:1 ratio with the underlying securities, thereby ensuring transparency and adherence to regulatory standards. Wallet representatives clarified that Bitcoin ETFs will not be part of this launch; however, Bitcoin remains accessible through the custodial cryptocurrency wallet.
Telegram has suggested this move is part of a larger push to democratize access to capital markets. The company noted that many populations currently have limited access to financial services, including mobile money and microloans. By adding tokenized equities to its wallet, Telegram aims to provide investment opportunities to users who previously lacked access to traditional financial market products.
In addition, with over 100 million registered users on Wallet via Telegram and a potential reach to a global user base exceeding 1 billion platform users, this initiative has the capacity to significantly enhance participation in markets for tokenized assets. Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi stressed that the integration is bringing tokenized finance into platforms that people already use daily, making these products more accessible to mainstream users.
The launch follows the sector's explosive growth in tokenization. Analysts estimate that the market for tokenized assets has already grown to hundreds of billions of dollars, with equities, ETFs, and bonds at the forefront. Companies like BlackRock and Ondo Finance have also entered the market, further boosting growth momentum.
xStocks, a stock exchange run by Backed in collaboration with Kraken, has already experienced a trading volume of over $4.5 billion across all exchanges. Its 1:1-backed tokenized equities have gained traction among both centralized and decentralized platforms. The adoption of Telegram could greatly expand the potential consumer base for tokenized assets, opening one of the largest gateways to tokenized financial products.
As the rollout begins in October, Telegram's Wallet is poised to play a pivotal role in integrating traditional finance with blockchain solutions, providing users with direct access to tokenized equities within the messaging app.
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