Walt, the platform formerly known as Wallet in Telegram, has launched a standalone Android application, marking the first time users can sign up without using Telegram. The app went live on November 10, with an iOS version expected to follow. Existing users can continue accessing their funds through Telegram or the new standalone app, while new customers can register using Google or Apple accounts. The company rebranded to Walt on September 28 after operating as Wallet in Telegram for nearly five years.
The standalone app significantly broadens Walt's product offering. It advertises access to more than 200 cryptocurrencies and over 100 tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds. Users can also trade perpetual futures linked to cryptocurrencies, metals, and energy markets, and access yield products involving stablecoins. AI-assisted research and trading tools are included as well, though availability and restrictions vary by jurisdiction and individual product.
Walt has emphasized that its service is separate from Telegram's Money wallet, a distinction that matters for users who remember the older Wallet label. The company also notes that owning a tokenized representation of a U.S. stock is not the same as holding the original share through a conventional brokerage account, with product terms determining shareholder rights, corporate actions, and redemption. Perpetual futures carry leveraged or derivative exposure and can involve liquidation and funding risks even when presented in a mobile interface.
The launch represents a distribution shift for Walt. Previously, customers had to start inside Telegram before becoming wallet users. Now the company is trying to become a destination in its own right, competing for a place on users' home screens. However, Walt has not published a full breakdown of active users or trade volumes, leaving the commercial impact of the standalone app as an open question. The next milestones include an iOS release, expanded geographic availability, fee disclosures, and adoption of products that are not as convenient to access through Telegram.
