In an exciting reveal at the Token2049 event held in Dubai, Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, announced ambitious plans to turn stickers and emojis into digital assets through non-fungible tokens (NFTs). This new project will be developed using blockchain technology from The Open Network (TON).
Converting these visual elements into NFTs will enable users to not only own but also monetize these popular digital assets. Durov referenced Telegram's previous success with username tokenization, an initiative that grossed an impressive $350 million in sales, with creators receiving 95% of the profits.
According to Durov, “NFTs integrated into everyday communication have the potential to go viral.” He exemplified this with a “smoking duck” sticker, which captured widespread cultural attention. Telegram's CEO expressed excitement about extending tokenization to encompass not just individual emojis, but possibly entire sets of stickers and emojis, turning them into meme coins.
Durov also highlighted the importance of scalability of the blockchain TON to support the high volume of transactions that this new functionality will require. Additionally, he addressed the platform's decentralized structure, including an ad revenue sharing model where channels receive 50% of the revenue generated, and a future model that proposes delivering 70% of tip revenue directly to creators.
This move by Telegram aims to not only innovate the way digital assets are traded and valued, but also strengthen a more decentralized approach that favors content creators. Durov's initiative is a significant step on the path to greater integration between everyday communication and the digital economy, potentially transforming the way we interact with basic digital content.
