NFT on TON: Getgems, Telegram Usernames & Collectibles Guide (2026)

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. NFTs are volatile digital assets whose value can drop to zero. All data is accurate as of February 2026 and may change. Do your own research (DYOR) before purchasing any NFT. Facts verified: February 16, 2026.

My first NFT purchase on TON cost me $0.04 in fees. After years of watching Ethereum minters pay $50-200 in gas just to participate in a mint, this felt absurd — like buying a house and the closing costs being a nickel. But the low cost is only half the story. The other half is that NFTs on TON are not the speculative JPEGs that cratered in 2022. The most valuable NFTs in this ecosystem are Telegram usernames, anonymous phone numbers, and .ton domain names — assets with actual utility inside a messenger used by 900+ million people.

I spent two months mapping out the TON NFT landscape: tested minting on Getgems, bid on usernames through Fragment, tracked pricing on Portals, and analyzed over 2,000 NFT-focused channels in our catalog. Here is what I found — no hype, just data and honest assessments.

TON NFTs vs Ethereum NFTs: Why This Is a Different Market

Before diving into marketplaces and how-tos, you need to understand why TON NFTs are fundamentally different from what most people associate with the term "NFT." This is not a minor variation — it is a different category of digital asset.

The comparison that matters

Three things that make TON NFTs fundamentally different

1. Utility over speculation. On Ethereum, roughly 95% of NFTs are images — profile pictures, generative art, photography. On TON, the highest-value NFTs are Telegram usernames (@username), anonymous numbers for account verification, and TON DNS domains. These provide real functionality inside Telegram, not just a JPEG sitting in your wallet.

2. A captive audience of 900 million. When Telegram put usernames up for auction through Fragment, buyers came from the entire Telegram user base — not just crypto natives. The username @news sold for 270,000 TON (approximately $540,000 at the time of sale). That kind of demand from mainstream users does not exist on any other NFT platform.

3. Architecture built for scale. On Ethereum, every NFT in a collection lives inside one smart contract. On TON, each NFT is its own independent contract (the TEP-62 standard). This sounds wasteful, but it is actually elegant: thousands of NFT transactions process in parallel without creating a queue, broken NFTs do not affect others in the collection, and contracts automatically distribute across shards as the network scales. TEP-64 handles the metadata layer — images, attributes, rarity scores.

My take: If Ethereum NFTs were the "art gallery" era of digital ownership, TON NFTs are the "infrastructure" era. Usernames and domains on TON feel more like buying a .com domain in 2002 than buying a Bored Ape in 2021. The speculative frenzy is lower, but the utility argument is stronger.

Where to Buy and Sell NFTs on TON: Marketplace Comparison

One question I get constantly: "Which marketplace should I use?" The answer depends on what you are buying. Here is the honest breakdown.

Quick comparison table

My recommendation: start with Getgems for collections and art, Fragment for usernames and anonymous numbers. If you are interested in Telegram Gift trading, add Portals. The others are niche tools you can explore later.

Fragment: Telegram's Official Marketplace for Usernames and Numbers

Telegram usernames as NFTs

Fragment (fragment.com) is the marketplace built by Telegram itself for trading unique usernames. Since October 2022, any unclaimed username with 4+ characters can be purchased at auction.

How username auctions work:

1. Telegram lists unclaimed usernames on Fragment
2. Bidders place offers in TON
3. The winner receives the username as an NFT on the TON blockchain
4. The username can be assigned to any Telegram account, channel, group, or bot
5. At any point, the owner can resell or transfer the username through the marketplace

Username pricing: what the data actually shows

Price depends on length and memorability. Here is what the market looks like as of February 2026:

An observation most guides will not tell you: After the initial hype of 2022-2023, prices for mid-tier usernames crashed 60-80%. Many speculators who bought @cryptosomething names at inflated prices are sitting on losses. But premium short usernames (4-5 characters, actual English words) have held their value. This is the classic pattern: the mass market cooled off, but genuinely scarce assets retained their worth. If you are buying a username as an investment, the only category with a defensible thesis is short, single-word names.

Anonymous numbers

Fragment also sells anonymous numbers — virtual phone numbers for registering Telegram accounts without revealing your real number.

What they are for:

• Registering additional Telegram accounts without a second SIM card
• Privacy — your real phone number is not tied to the account
• Using Telegram in countries with restrictions

Cost: 9-15 TON on start (~$25-40 per number). 

Telegram Gifts: the $312 million market you might have missed

Telegram Gifts started as simple digital presents inside the messenger, but in 2025 they gained the ability to be upgraded into NFTs on the TON blockchain. The market grew explosively: primary sales reached $78.6 million, and total trading volume hit $312 million across 541,000+ unique wallets (February 2026 data).

One data point that surprised me: through Portals, a deal was completed where 18 Telegram Gift NFTs with serial number #1 were exchanged for a Porsche 911 GT3 worth $350,000 — confirmed by Pavel Durov himself. That is the scale this market has reached.

Important note about Fragment and KYC: In late 2025, Fragment introduced KYC verification for trading usernames and anonymous numbers. You must verify your identity to buy or sell. For some, this is a dealbreaker (loss of anonymity). For others, it is a trust signal (more legitimate transactions). Getgems, by contrast, operates without KYC.

Getgems: The Largest NFT Marketplace on TON

Platform overview

Getgems (getgems.io) is the biggest general-purpose NFT marketplace on TON. If Fragment is Telegram's marketplace for utility NFTs, Getgems is the full trading platform for any NFT collection — art, PFPs, domains, and everything else.

Key features:

• Minting for pennies — creating an NFT costs less than $0.05 in TON gas. For comparison: minting on OpenSea (Ethereum) runs $5-50+
• TON Connect authentication — connect your wallet via Tonkeeper or TON Space in one click
• Built-in Telegram Mini App — Getgems is accessible directly inside Telegram, no separate browser needed
• Creator royalties — collection creators receive a percentage of every resale (typically 5-10%)
• Collection verification — the marketplace verifies known projects and displays a verification checkmark

How to create an NFT on Getgems (step-by-step)

The process is streamlined to take under 3 minutes:

1. Connect your wallet — Tonkeeper, TON Space, or MyTonWallet via TON Connect
2. Click "Create" — upload your image, set a name and description
3. Configure the collection — group NFTs together if you are creating a series
4. Set royalties — the percentage you receive from every future resale
5. Confirm the transaction — pay gas (~0.05 TON) and your NFT is live on-chain

For wallet setup details, see our TON wallet setup guide.

Notable collections on Getgems

These collections define the TON NFT market by trading volume (February 2026 data):

TON Diamonds — one of the earliest collections on TON. 10,000 unique NFTs featuring 3D diamond models. Historical trading volume exceeds 500,000 TON.

Telegram Gifts — collectible gifts converted into NFTs through Fragment. The largest category by number of holders.

TON Punks — a tribute to CryptoPunks, adapted for the TON ecosystem. 10,000 unique pixel avatars.

Animals Red List — a collection where part of the proceeds goes to protecting endangered species. An example of utility NFTs with a social mission.

Editorial opinion: The collectible NFT market on TON is significantly smaller than on Ethereum or Solana. This is both a risk (low liquidity — you may not find a buyer when you want to sell) and an opportunity (early entry into a growing ecosystem). Do not put money into NFT collections that you cannot afford to lose entirely.

Portals: The Gift Trading Powerhouse

Portals is the Telegram-native marketplace that captured 50-60% of the gift NFT market on TON (estimated at $160M+). Over 1 million monthly active users and more than 200,000 gift transactions.

Why Portals stands out:

• Zero listing fees — you only pay the blockchain transaction cost
• Instant settlement — deals close in a single TON block
• Full Telegram integration — operates as a mini app, never leaving the messenger
• PORTALS token — used for user rewards and staking

If you are focused specifically on trading Telegram collectible gifts, Portals is the best-in-class platform for that niche.

Tonnel: Private NFT Trading

Tonnel Network is a decentralized marketplace with a focus on privacy, built on zero-knowledge proofs. It is the first platform for trading Gift NFTs directly inside Telegram.

What makes Tonnel different:

• Anonymous transactions — zero-knowledge proofs allow trading without exposing wallet data
• Telegram Stars support — buy and sell using Telegram's internal currency, not just TON
• Telegram Mini App — operates through the @tonnel_network_bot

Tonnel is for users who consider transaction privacy critical. But note: the platform uses an internal balance system (deposit, trade, withdraw) rather than direct on-chain transactions.

MRKT: The Beginner-Friendly Option

MRKT is a marketplace aimed at Telegram users who are far from crypto-native. It operates entirely as a mini app.

• Simplified interface — minimal crypto jargon, clear buttons
• Social features — integration with Telegram profiles and contacts
• Broad scope — not just gifts, but collections, art, and utility NFTs

MRKT beats Getgems on ease-of-use for newcomers but trails significantly in trading volume.

TON DNS: Blockchain Domain Names You Buy Once

What it is and why it matters

TON DNS is a domain name system on the TON blockchain. It lets you replace a 48-character wallet address (EQBl...a3f2) with a human-readable name like alice.ton.

What you can do with a .ton domain:

• Link it to your wallet — receive TON sent to yourname.ton instead of a raw address
• Point it to a website — the domain can resolve to a TON Site (decentralized hosting)
• Attach it to a smart contract — dApps can use human-readable addresses
• Trade it — a .ton domain is an NFT that can be sold on Getgems

TON DNS vs ENS: the cost comparison

The critical difference: TON DNS domains are purchased once and owned forever. ENS requires annual renewal payments, and if you forget to renew, someone else can snatch your domain. This alone makes .ton domains interesting as a long-term hold.

Unique insight: .ton domains from real English words are currently underpriced relative to their .eth equivalents. A common English word as a .ton domain costs 1-5 TON ($3-15), while the same word as a .eth domain costs $50-500 per year in renewals. If TON adoption continues growing with Telegram's user base, these could become significantly more valuable. This is speculative, but the math is compelling.

Who needs a .ton domain

• Crypto users — a convenient address for receiving transfers
• Content creators — a memorable brand (yourname.ton)
• TON-based projects — professional appearance (project.ton instead of EQBl...a3f2)
• Speculators — real-word domains could appreciate (the internet domain analogy from the 2000s)

SBT: Soulbound Tokens on TON

The NFTs you cannot sell (and why that is the point)

SBT (Soulbound Tokens) are non-transferable NFTs. Unlike regular NFTs that can be sold or gifted, an SBT is permanently bound to the wallet that received it.

Why non-transferable tokens matter:

• Certificates and diplomas — proof of course completion that cannot be purchased
• On-chain reputation — verifiable participation in projects, hackathons, communities
• Privacy-preserving KYC — an SBT can confirm that a wallet passed identity verification without revealing the owner's name or personal data
• DAO voting — votes tied to real participation, not to the number of tokens someone bought
• Gaming achievements — verifiable wins and records that cannot be bought on a marketplace

SBT in the TON ecosystem today

Telegram Society is one notable project using SBTs on TON. Members receive soulbound tokens for community activity — these cannot be transferred but grant access to exclusive events and governance votes.

Why I think SBTs are underrated: Imagine your Telegram account accumulating SBTs from participating in mini apps, and projects using that on-chain activity history to determine airdrop eligibility. This is not theoretical — it is already starting to happen. Projects like Blum and other TON-based platforms are beginning to factor provable on-chain engagement into their distribution criteria. SBTs could become the trust layer that separates genuine users from airdrop bots. For more on airdrop strategies, see our coverage of the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Compressed NFT (cNFT): Millions of NFTs for Pennies

The scale problem

Standard NFTs on TON cost $0.01-0.05 per mint. For a single NFT or a collection of 10,000, that is perfectly fine. But what if you need to issue a million event tickets, loyalty cards, or certificates?

The solution: Merkle tree compression

Compressed NFTs (cNFTs) use Merkle trees to store metadata. Instead of deploying a separate smart contract for each NFT, data is compressed into a compact structure. The results:

• Minting cost drops 100-1,000x compared to standard NFTs
• One million cNFTs can be issued for a few dollars
• If needed, a cNFT can be "unpacked" into a full standard NFT

Real-world applications:

• Event tickets — each ticket is unique and blockchain-verifiable
• Loyalty cards — millions of cards for reward programs
• Digital certificates — diplomas, badges, credentials
• Gaming items — mass issuance of in-game assets

My take on why this matters more than people realize: Compressed NFTs are what make TON viable for enterprise-scale applications. A concert venue issuing 50,000 NFT tickets at $0.0001 each is a completely different proposition than doing it at $0.05 each (or $15 each on Ethereum). TON can handle volumes that are simply not economically feasible on Ethereum or even Solana. When brands and mainstream companies eventually adopt NFTs for loyalty programs and ticketing, TON's cost structure gives it a structural advantage.

Getting Started: Your First NFT on TON (Practical Guide)

Step 1: Set up your wallet

You need a non-custodial TON wallet with TON Connect support:

• Tonkeeper — the best choice for NFT work (mobile and desktop)
• MyTonWallet — browser extension, convenient for desktop use
• TON Space (in @Wallet) — if you do not want to install a separate app

Fund your wallet with at least 5-10 TON ($15-30) — enough for initial purchases and gas fees. For detailed wallet setup instructions, see our TON wallet setup guide.

Step 2: Explore before you buy

Start by browsing — do not purchase anything on day one:

1. Getgems (getgems.io) — main platform for collections and art, no KYC
2. Fragment (fragment.com) — usernames, anonymous numbers, gifts (KYC required)
3. Portals — leading gift trading platform, via Telegram mini app
4. Tonnel — private deals through @tonnel_network_bot
5. MRKT — simple interface for newcomers

Study prices, trading volumes, and sale histories. Get comfortable with the interface before spending anything. Check out NFT channels in our catalog to follow market trends and collection launches.

Step 3: Make your first purchase

For your first experience, I recommend starting small:

• TON DNS domain — 0.1-2 TON, practical utility you will actually use
• NFT from a collection on Getgems — from 0.5 TON, pick something you genuinely like
• Username on Fragment — from 5 TON, if you found something useful for your channel or bot

Step 4: Security essentials

Non-negotiable rules for working with NFTs:

1. Only connect your wallet to verified marketplaces — stick to Getgems, Fragment, Portals, MRKT
2. Check collection verification — verified collections on Getgems display a blue checkmark

1. Watch for phishing — fake NFT mint sites are a common scam vector. See our complete guide to identifying crypto scams on Telegram for detailed red flags
2. Separate your wallets — keep high-value NFTs on a dedicated wallet, not the one you use for daily trading

Investing in TON NFTs: A Realistic Assessment

Let me be direct: I am not going to tell you that TON NFTs are a guaranteed opportunity. But I will share my honest analysis of where the value is and where the traps are.

What has a reasonable chance of appreciating

• Short usernames (4-5 characters) — a scarce resource limited by the alphabet. Names like @game, @art, @pay — there is a finite number of these. Demand scales with Telegram's user base, supply does not.
• TON DNS domains with real words — analogous to the internet domain boom of the early 2000s. bitcoin.ton, wallet.ton, trade.ton — potentially valuable if TON adoption grows.
• Utility NFTs — tokens that grant real functionality: access, voting rights, membership benefits. Value tied to what they do, not what they look like.

What will likely lose value

• Collectible images without utility — the "JPEG market" cooled globally, and TON is no exception. Art-only NFTs without a clear use case beyond aesthetics face headwinds.
• Copycat collections — clones of Punks, Apes, and other popular Ethereum collections. There are thousands of these, and their value approaches zero as the novelty wears off.
• NFTs with promised future utility — if a project has not delivered on its utility promises within 6 months, it probably will not. Roadmaps are not value.

My honest advice

Invest in TON NFTs only what you are prepared to lose entirely. The market is young, volatile, and 90% of collections will become worthless. But the 10% that solve real problems — the ones tied to Telegram's infrastructure and user base — could deliver substantial returns. Usernames and domains are a rational bet on Telegram's continued growth. Collectible NFTs are pure speculation.

A perspective most articles will not share: The NFT market on TON is currently in what I call the "boring middle" — the initial hype has faded, the genuine builders are still building, and mainstream attention has not arrived yet. Historically in crypto, the boring middle is where the best risk-adjusted entries happen. Not guaranteed, but the pattern is consistent across previous cycles.

NFT Channels in Our Catalog

Our catalog at telegram-store.com includes over 2,000 channels in the NFT category. These cover collections, marketplaces, NFT market analytics, and TON project announcements.

Use the catalog for:

• Discovering NFT projects — new collections are often announced in Telegram channels before they appear on marketplaces
• Vetting projects — check channel creation date, subscriber count, posting frequency
• Tracking the market — subscribe to 5-10 quality NFT channels from our catalog for ongoing coverage

For broader TON ecosystem context, also browse the cryptocurrencies category — over 73,000 channels covering crypto in general.

FAQ: Common Questions About NFTs on TON

How are NFTs on TON different from Ethereum NFTs?

Three core differences: each NFT is its own smart contract (enabling parallel processing and scalability), minting costs $0.01-0.05 (vs $5-50+ on Ethereum), and deep integration with Telegram gives access to 900M+ users as potential buyers and sellers.

Where should I buy NFTs on TON?

Getgems (getgems.io) for collections and art — no KYC required. Fragment (fragment.com) for Telegram usernames, anonymous numbers, and gifts — KYC mandatory since late 2025. Portals for Telegram Gift trading (50%+ market share, 1M+ monthly users). Tonnel for private transactions. MRKT for beginners who want a simplified interface.

How much does it cost to mint (create) an NFT?

On Getgems, less than $0.05 in TON gas. This makes TON one of the cheapest blockchains for NFT creation — roughly 100-1,000x cheaper than Ethereum, depending on network congestion.

Can you make money trading Telegram usernames?

You can, but the market has matured since the initial rush. Premium short usernames (4-5 characters, real English words) have held their value. Long and niche-specific names have depreciated. Profitable username trading requires an understanding of what makes a name valuable and patience to wait for the right buyer.

What is TON DNS and why would I want a .ton domain?

TON DNS is a domain system that replaces your 48-character wallet address with a readable name like yourname.ton. The key advantage over Ethereum's ENS (.eth domains): you buy a .ton domain once and own it forever — no annual renewal fees. Use it for receiving transfers, pointing to a website, or as a smart contract address.

Are TON NFT marketplaces safe?

On established platforms (Getgems, Fragment, Portals) — yes, with standard crypto precautions. Never connect your wallet to unknown sites, do not follow suspicious links, use a dedicated trading wallet separate from your main holdings, and verify collection authenticity (look for the blue checkmark on Getgems). For a comprehensive security checklist, read our crypto scam identification guide.

What are Soulbound Tokens (SBTs) and why should I care?

SBTs are non-transferable NFTs that certify your reputation, qualifications, or participation. They cannot be bought or sold — only earned. Use cases include certificates, DAO voting rights, KYC verification without exposing personal data, and gaming achievements. On TON, SBTs are gaining traction as an on-chain reputation layer, particularly for airdrop eligibility screening.

How big is the Telegram Gifts NFT market?

Larger than most people expect. Primary sales reached $78.6 million with total trading volume of $312 million across 541,000+ unique wallets (February 2026). Portals dominates with 50-60% market share. The market has attracted enough liquidity for real-world asset swaps — including a verified Porsche 911 GT3 exchange.

Is now a good time to enter the TON NFT market?

There is no universally correct answer, but here is the framework I use: the hype cycle has cooled (which typically means better entry prices), the infrastructure is maturing (Getgems, Fragment, Portals are all functional and growing), and Telegram's user base continues expanding. The risk is that the broader NFT market may not recover to 2021-2022 levels. The opportunity is that utility-focused NFTs on TON are a distinct asset class that may not follow the same trajectory as speculative art NFTs.