TON Wallet Adds BTC, ETH, and USDT Yield Feature on Telegram

Highlights:

• TON Wallet adds Vaults, enabling passive yield on BTC, ETH, and USDT.
• Integrated DeFi strategies allow earnings directly inside Telegram’s ecosystem.
• The development comes as Telegram faces rising regulatory scrutiny in Russia.

On February 26, TON Wallet, the non‑custodial crypto wallet inside Telegram, rolled out a major update. Users can now earn passive income on Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and Ethereum (ETH) through on‑chain yield strategies. This update transforms TON Wallet from a basic self‑custody and transfer tool into an easy gateway for DeFi yield products without leaving Telegram. 

The update brings Vaults, smart contracts where users can deposit BTC, ETH, or USDT to earn passive income on the TON blockchain. USDT Vaults can give up to 18% yearly, while ETH and BTC Vaults let users earn with top cryptocurrencies. Earnings change with market conditions and strategy results, following usual DeFi rules.

⚡️TELEGRAM WALLET LAUNCHES ON-CHAIN YIELD

Wallet in Telegram, embedded within Telegram, is rolling out yield for $BTC, $ETH, and $USDT via TON Wallet.

Founder Andrew Rogozov said, “we're bridging the gap between sophisticated DeFi protocols and hundreds of millions of users.” pic.twitter.com/X18kCR5cGb

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) February 26, 2026

How the System Works

The Vaults of TON Wallet allow users to earn interest on their crypto while maintaining full control. The mechanism is designed in collaboration with trusted partners in the DeFi sector to make this feasible. Morpho is a lending platform that places your deposited crypto into a position where it can earn interest. TAC is a compatibility layer that enables the interaction of wrapped Bitcoin (cbBTC) and wrapped Ethereum (wETH) on the TON blockchain. Re7 is responsible for the management of Vault strategies.

When users deposit crypto into a Vault, the system uses these partners to put their assets into different on‑chain tools that generate yield. Users stay in full control of their crypto and keep their private keys. They can withdraw their funds anytime under the Vault’s rules.

TON Wallet is integrated into Telegram itself, which has more than 150 million registered users. With the addition of yield functionality for major assets such as BTC, ETH, and USDT, it becomes simpler for a common user to use DeFi services, even if they are not familiar with the traditional protocol. The team behind the project claims that the Vaults are an important step towards making decentralized finance accessible to everyone using a familiar app.

Regulatory Pressure Mounts on Telegram in Russia

Meanwhile, Telegram faces growing pressure in Russia. On February 24, a state-run newspaper reported that Russian authorities are investigating founder Pavel Durov over alleged links to terrorism.

The government is also trying to block Telegram and push people toward a state-backed alternative called MAX. Telegram has denied the allegations, and Durov has not responded to requests for comment. Russia’s Rossiyskaya Gazeta cited materials from the Federal Security Service and claimed that the app is “a tool for hybrid threats” and that Durov’s actions fall under criminal investigation.

Telegram Founder and CEO, Pavel Durov said Russia has opened a criminal #case against him for “aiding terrorism.” He added that authorities are fabricating new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram, seeking to suppress the right to privacy and free speech. He called…

— CryptOpus (@ImCryptOpus) February 24, 2026

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the government has discovered a lot of content on Telegram that could be a threat to Russia. He also stated that the government has recorded many cases of violations and that the management of Telegram has failed to cooperate with the government.