Getgems Bets on Telegram’s 950 Million Users to Drive NFT Adoption in 2025

Despite the challenges faced by the non-fungible token (NFT) market in 2024, Getgems, a marketplace built on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, remains optimistic about the future of digital collectibles. With a strong belief in the long-term utility of NFTs, Getgems is betting on Telegram’s massive user base and its growing blockchain integration to accelerate NFT adoption in 2025.

NFT Market Faces Decline, but Getgems Sees Long-Term Potential

The NFT market experienced a difficult year in 2024, with trading volumes and sales dropping nearly 20%, according to blockchain analytics platform DappRadar. The platform even labeled 2024 as one of the worst years for NFTs since their mainstream rise in 2020. In addition, NFT marketplaces, such as MakersPlace, were forced to shut down amid ongoing market challenges.

However, some developers, including Getgems, are focused on the future and long-term adoption of NFTs. Unlike many others who have been discouraged by the downturn, Getgems sees an opportunity for NFTs to flourish, especially with Telegram’s integration of blockchain technology and its massive user base of 950 million active users.

Leveraging Telegram’s User Base to Drive Adoption

Telegram, the widely used messaging app, is central to Getgems’ strategy. In September 2024, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov revealed that the platform had reached 950 million monthly active users. Getgems sees this extensive user base as a unique opportunity to drive NFT adoption and increase the utility of NFTs for the masses.

A Getgems spokesperson highlighted the platform’s belief that Telegram is well-positioned to offer seamless integration for NFTs, offering a connection to users that no other platform has been able to match. "While NFTs may have had their moment in the past, they have never had the capacity for seamless mass user engagement like Telegram does," the spokesperson explained.

Importantly, Getgems is not focusing on NFTs for speculation or gambling but on their utility. Telegram’s NFT offerings, such as Usernames and Anonymous Numbers, provide tangible ownership rights over digital identities and accounts. These NFTs are designed to be both functional and valuable, ensuring they hold practical value for users.

Telegram-Based NFTs Gaining Traction

Getgems’ optimism is backed by early success. According to Getgems data, Telegram-based NFTs like Usernames and Anonymous Numbers have already generated significant trading volume. Telegram Usernames, for example, have accounted for 72 million Toncoin (TON), while Anonymous Numbers have brought in 24 million TON. With TON trading around $5, these two NFT collections have achieved a combined volume of approximately $480 million. Getgems believes the demand for Telegram-based NFTs has already been demonstrated, showing that users value the utility these digital assets provide.

The Launch of Telegram Gifts and On-Chain NFTs

One of the most exciting developments for Getgems is Telegram’s integration of NFTs into its platform. On October 5, 2024, Telegram introduced Gifts, a feature that allows users to send animated images with custom messages to celebrate or congratulate contacts. In a significant move, Telegram also announced that these Gifts would be able to be converted into NFTs.

Since their release, Telegram Gifts have gained considerable traction, with Durov noting that users have acquired more than 20 million Gifts. This surge in interest underscores the growing potential of Telegram’s on-chain NFTs.

In late January 2025, Telegram began integrating Gifts directly into the TON blockchain, further solidifying its commitment to NFTs. Getgems, which hosts a marketplace for Telegram-based digital collectibles, is hopeful that this move will expand the adoption of NFTs. The marketplace expects that the new on-chain NFTs will be more accessible and appealing to a wider audience, as users can now seamlessly own and trade NFTs within Telegram itself.

Early Success and Future Prospects

Even before Telegram’s NFTs officially went on-chain, pre-mint trading volumes for Gifts reached $1 million, and the NFTs achieved a market capitalization of $10 million. This early success highlights the potential for NFTs integrated with Telegram and TON to capture a larger audience, especially as the digital collectibles market continues to evolve.

Getgems remains optimistic that 2025 will be a breakthrough year for NFTs, as more Telegram users discover the value and utility of on-chain digital collectibles. With the integration of Gifts into the TON blockchain and a growing user base, Getgems believes that Telegram can help drive the next wave of NFT adoption.

As the NFT landscape shifts toward utility-focused assets, Getgems is positioning itself at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging Telegram’s vast user base and blockchain capabilities to bring NFTs into the mainstream.