​USDt launches on TON to offer Telegram’s 900M users access to cross-border payments

TL;DR:
▪️ Tether’s USDt is now available on TON, coming in a new experience for Tether aimed at making cross-border payments faster, cheaper, and easier for Telegram's 900M users.
▪️ TON Foundation offers 11M Toncoin in incentives, aiming to put crypto in every pocket.

Pavel Durov, CEO & Founder of Telegram, Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, and Andrew Rogozov, CEO of TOP & Wallet, announced today at TOKEN2049 in Dubai that Tether, in collaboration with TON Foundation, has launched USDt on TON.

Instant, free, as easy as sending a text message.

USDt on TON simplifies global peer-to-peer payments for Telegram’s 900M monthly active users. The integration of USDt into Wallet in Telegram makes USDt transfers free and instant between all Telegram users; all you need to do is send a DM, no need for a blockchain address, and no need to download a new app.

USDt, also known as Tether, is a cryptocurrency pegged 1-to-1 with USD and backed 100% by Tether’s reserves. Unlike other more volatile digital assets, it offers a stable value. Making USDt on TON ideal for daily transactions and cross-border payments.

USDt on TON will be accompanied by fully integrated on-ramps from most fiat currencies globally at launch. Soon, integrated global off-ramps will enable users to withdraw supported fiat currencies directly to bank accounts or cards. The aim is for USDt on TON to become a faster, easier, and cheaper cross-border payment system than traditional financial services.

11M Toncoin in incentives

TON Foundation has committed 11M Toncoin to incentivize the adoption of USDt on TON.

For a limited time, while incentives last:
▪️ 5M Toncoin will be used to boost rewards in USDt/TON liquidity pools across TON DEXes @ston_fi and DeDust.
▪️ 5M Toncoin will be given to users depositing USDt to Wallet’s Earn campaign.
▪️ Withdrawals to TON from all supporting exchanges like OKX, Bybit, MEXC, and KuCoin will be entirely free for all users until the end of June, 2024.
▪️ Prepare the engines. These incentives will begin soon.

The launch of USDt on TON represents a step towards integrating digital currencies into everyday life, providing 900M users with a seamless and integrated financial service within TON’s Web3 ecosystem in Telegram.

For more details and a guide on how to use USDt on TON, check out this blog post.

Please note that USDt on TON is not available to users based in mainland US, US territories, or US citizens and Prohibited Countries as defined under Tether Terms of Service.

Are you ready for crypto’s first real-world, really valuable use case?

Only 1 hour left until Pavel Durov's presentation.

Set your reminders for the livestream now!

Telegram Removed from App Store in China

According to Bloomberg, the App Store has removed Telegram from its platform in China at the request of authorities. In addition, Threads, WhatsApp, and Signal were also removed.

Previously, Chinese authorities required developers to register in order for their apps to remain on the domestic market.

#China

Sticker and Emoji NFTs

During Pavel Durov’s speech at the TOKEN2049 event, he announced that in the future users will be able to trade Telegram stickers and emojis as NFTs.

95% of the revenue earned from those will be for the creators, and the remaining 5% of the sale price will be for commissions.

The exact procedure of creating an NFT stickers and emojis is currently unknown.

#TON #stickers

Official Promotion of Mini Apps and Bots

Pavel Durov talked about their plans to officially start recommending Mini Apps and bots to users later this year.

Out of 900 million monthly active users, 360 million interact with Mini Apps every month. We can easily double this number if we start suggesting Mini Apps and chatbots to our audience. We haven’t started doing that yet, but this is coming later this year.

#bots

Other Important Points from Pavel Durov's speech

• Authors now have the opportunity to withdraw rewards for ads purchased on their channels in the TON cryptocurrency (subject to meeting certain criteria). It's possible that monetisation for groups may also be introduced in the future.

• In upcoming updates, Telegram will introduce the ability to purchase digital goods inside the platform.

• A tool for creating bots without writing code will be introduced in the future.

• Within a few weeks, Telegram will implement a feature for sending tips in the TON cryptocurrency to content creators.

• Tether has been officially integrated into the TON blockchain, and the first 10 million USDT have already been issued. Transaction fees can now be paid directly in USDT.

• The TON Foundation will distribute 11 million Toncoin to USDT users on TON as rewards.

#TON

Telegram X Beta Features Summary

🆕 What's new? (0.26.7.1701 BETA)
- RTL Fixes
- Birthdate in profiles
- Birthdate privacy settings
- Date picker
- Set birthday
- Add birthday suggestions
- Number of additional usernames in settings

🛠 Technical Changes:
- Nothing

📝 Changes in old Beta:
- Attached files caption
- Show Giveaway Messages
- Support table block in Instant Views
- Ability to convert group to Broadcast Group
- Add fire icon to blurred secret media preview
- Hint when tapping on a locked permission group toggle
- Emulator Detection Improvements
- Manage create_topic permission & restriction + Force admins dismissal when tapping Dismiss Admin + canManageTopics in recent actions
- ChatFolders Redesign
- Add Fetch missing notifications setting
- Add shortcut for scheduling messages for 1 year
- New video compression for Android 5.x and higher
- Video cropping
- Video mirroring
- Video transcoding bugfixes:

1. Fixed sending cropped original videos
2. Fixed displaying output frame rate for some videos
3. Fixed error during compression of some videos
4. Some other

- Fix crash when starting ForegroundService
- Edit media messages

- Edit bot photo from profile page
- In-app bot management
- Add Hide Read Time privacy setting + Message read date in private chats
- Special icons in the bot avatar picker
- Manage additional usernames
- New send icon on scheduled messages screen
- Improve opening sorted contacts screen
- Reload state when showing an extra privacy toggle
- Escape markdown template arguments
- Add similar channels tab in profile
- Add See My Read Date on Privacy Exceptions screen

BugFix:
- General Bugfixes

Rules and report bugs

Getting crash log files
(Only when requested)

APK & Changelog for latest beta
0.26.7.1701 beta

#beta

Telegram takes the top spot in the Chinese Google Play rankings

Pavel Durov commented on the removal of Telegram from the Chinese App Store. According to him, the total number of downloads for the messenger has not decreased, and the app holds the top position in the Chinese Google Play top charts from the number of installs. Users from China use VPNs to circumvent the ban.

Durov has also shared his theory on why apps were removed from the App Store in China: the government is forcing iPhone users to switch to devices from local companies like Xiaomi. Android does not have a strict tie-in to the manufacturer's app store, allowing users to install apps from other sources.

For iOS users, the option to use the web version of the messenger remains available.

#China #bans

Limiting Access to Specific Channels for Ukrainian Users Using iOS

Pavel Durov has stated that Apple demanded to limit access to specific news channels for Ukrainian users to combat propaganda.

In February 2022, Durov suggested to limit access to all Telegram channels in Russia and Ukraine because they are allegedly used for military propaganda, but after receiving negative feedback from users, he changed his mind.

Now, due to pressure from Apple, Telegram will have to hide specific channels for iOS users:

Were it entirely up to us, we would always give our users what they ask for: access to uncensored information and opinions so that they can make their own decisions. However, it's not always up to us

The restrictions are expected to only apply to users using iOS devices and a Ukrainian number. It is unknown which channels will be blocked yet.

Regional restrictions are not a new thing: Some Russian Telegram channels were already restricted for users using EU and Ukraine SIM cards, regardless of the operating system used. Those did not just restrict access to those channels, but also to messages forwarded from them.

In February 2024, the head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yurchyshyn, stated that the Telegram administration refused to make contact with the Ukrainian authorities:

It all depends on whether the Telegram administration, which Mr. Durov allegedly represents, will make contact with the Ukrainian authorities and block openly manipulative channels that disseminate Russian propaganda. Now they refuse to do this. In such conditions, of course, blocking this social network seems logical.

Read news about Telegram in Ukrainian at @tginfouk for more like this.

#Ukraine #bans

Telegram for Android and iOS Has Been Updated to Version 10.12

What's new:

• Profile Photo When Forwarding Messages: In forwarded messages, you can now see the profile picture of the original author if the author's privacy settings have link to profile turned on.

• Updated Message Deleting Interface: This section has been improved in terms of new filters and now has a more compact way of displaying messages.

• Updated Recent Actions: This section has been improved in terms of new filters and a more compact way of displaying messages.

• Permanent Live Location: Share your live location until you disable it.

• Custom Emoji in Polls: Telegram Premium subscribers can now include custom emojis in their polls.

• Quick Navigation Between Topics: Similar to channels, groups with topics enabled now provide a way to quickly switch to the next unread topic. In order to use this feature, scroll down to the latest message, and swipe up to go to the next unread topic.

• Enabling “Stealth Mode” Before Opening Stories: You can enable Stealth Mode before you open a story by pressing and holding on the story circle.

Android: Google Play, APK from the official website or the verified channel.
iOS: App Store.

#update #Android #iOS

"My Profile" Section, Recommended Channels and 15 Other Updates

The new Telegram blog post details the features added to the messenger this April.

Among the notable new features is a new menu section to view your profile, a tab with recommended channels in the global search, the ability to specify your birthday and a link to your channel in your profile, improved moderation tools for group administrators, and much more.

An important milestone this month was that the number of monthly active Telegram users reached 900 million. Half of these users use the messenger every day.

Article: telegram.org/blog/my-profile-and-15-more/

#update #Android #iOS #Desktop #macOS #Unigram

#new?
3D building on location.

#new Redesigned actions menu

#new

Channel icon for forwarded messages.

#new extend sharing your location