The Gifts feature is now available in the latest version of the app. Gifts can be exchanged for unique NFTs, a function that has not yet been activated. Telegram has added a new function to its app that makes it easier to send new «Gifts» to its users. The notable thing is that these gifts can be exchanged for NFTs based on the TON network. This was announced by Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, on October 5, through his channel in the messaging app. It should be noted that the Gifts function is already available in the latest version of Telegram, however, the NFT function will be activated “later in the year,” Pavel assured. The gifts that users receive may be published in the profile, or sold by “stars”. Which allows them to purchase other gifts or other features within the app. According to the CEO, once the NFT function is activated, people will be able to auction or exchange the gifts outside of the messaging app, and any exchange or platform compatible with TON. For those interested in sending Gifts, you only have to go to the person's Telegram profile and locate the Gifts tab. There it will show you the entire Marketplace of available gifts.
Gifts, depending on their type, vary in price. Source: Telegram. The announcement of this new feature on Telegram comes amid the worst NFT market crash since February 2022. Currently, daily NFT trading volumes do not exceed $30 million, as opposed to $1.9 billion daily. in February 2022. The current market capitalization is around USD 7.5 billion, a far cry from its peak of over USD 42 billion in November 2023, according to OKX data.
2022 was the peak year for NFT collections. Source: OKX. The latest collections that gave life to NFTs have been the Ordinals. A protocol for the creation of NFTs in Bitcoin that was quite successful at the beginning of 2023 and that exploded the market capitalization of non-fungible tokens.