Telegram now allows users to create an anonymous account without a SIM card, whose account data will be stored in the blockchain network TON.
The developers added to Telegram a sign-up function with a higher level of anonymity without being linked to a cell phone number. Account data will be recorded on the TON blockchain, but all messages will still be stored on Telegram’s servers. Blockchain-powered anonymous numbers can be purchased on the Fragment platform. Anonymous numbers range in price from $20 to ~$57,000 in Toncoin.
What Are Telegram Anonymous Numbers?
Anonymous Numbers are virtual phone numbers available through Fragment that can be used to register Telegram accounts without a SIM card. Unlike traditional phone numbers issued by mobile operators, they are linked to the TON blockchain and can be traded on the marketplace.
Among key features of Telegram anonymous numbers:
- No physical SIM card required
- Registration through a virtual phone number
- Available via the TON-powered Fragment marketplace
- Ownership can be transferred between users
- Designed to enhance privacy and account flexibility
The messenger team described the innovation as the beginning of a “new era of privacy.” The announcement noted that it was already possible to hide your phone number from unfamiliar contacts in Telegram by changing the privacy settings. With the new update, privacy options expand. Besides blockchain-powered anonymous addresses, an auto-delete function appeared to delete messages in any personal chats after a certain period of time.
Recall that Pavel Durov in late August announced plans to “add a little bit of Web 3.0” to Telegram. In early October, the blockchain platform Fragment was launched to sell account IDs through “NFT-like smart contracts.” At the beginning of November, Telegram announced its plans to develop a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange (DEX) and a non-custodial wallet for storing digital assets.
Fragment’s Role in TON Ecosystem
Fragment was initially introduced as a marketplace for collectible Telegram usernames secured on the TON blockchain. The platform later expanded to support anonymous phone numbers that allow users to register Telegram accounts without a SIM card. Today, Fragment serves as a marketplace for blockchain-based Telegram identifiers, with ownership of usernames and anonymous numbers recorded through TON infrastructure.
According to Pavel Durov, Telegram usernames and anonymous numbers generated more than $350 million in sales within the first 18 months of trading on Fragment. In March 2026, the collectible number was sold for 651,358 TON (~$2M), making it one of the most expensive transactions ever recorded in the anonymous numbers collection.
