Fragment Explained: What Telegram's Marketplace Sells and How It Works

Fragment is Telegram's official marketplace, run at fragment.com and built on the TON blockchain. It sells collectible usernames and anonymous numbers, lets you buy Telegram Premium, Stars and ad budget with crypto, and is the place where channels and bots withdraw what they earn. Everything on it is paid in the TON network's own coin, and every purchase is recorded on that blockchain.

This guide explains each thing Fragment does, how buying and withdrawing actually work, and where people lose money. It is general information, not financial advice.

What Fragment is, in plain terms

Fragment is a website, not an app inside Telegram. You open it in a browser, connect two things to it, and then buy, bid or withdraw.

The two things are:

• Your Telegram account. Fragment needs to know which account a username, a Premium subscription or a withdrawal belongs to.
• A TON wallet. This is where payments come from and where collectibles and payouts go.

Fragment's own help page says it does not store information that links your wallet to your Telegram account. The two are connected for your session so the site can act, but the link is not published.

Why it uses a blockchain at all

Collectible usernames and numbers are recorded as tokens on TON. That means ownership is not just a line in Telegram's database. The token sits in your wallet, and whoever holds the token controls the username or number.

This has two practical effects. First, you can sell or transfer a collectible to anyone with a TON wallet, without asking Telegram. Second, if you lose your wallet, you lose the collectible. Nobody at Telegram can move it back for you.

A note on the coin's name

The TON network's native coin was long called Toncoin. In 2026 the TON community voted to rename it Gram, with the ticker GRAM, which was the coin's original name in Telegram's first blockchain plans. The network is still called TON and nothing about holding it changed. You will see both names on wallets, exchanges and older guides.

Be wary of anyone asking you to "migrate", "convert" or "claim" coins because of the rename. Holders did not need to do anything, and messages saying otherwise are a common scam.

What Fragment sells

Fragment's terms list what the platform covers, and Telegram adds or removes items over time. These are the main parts at the time of writing.

Collectible usernames

A username is the @name that gives an account, channel, group or bot a public t.me link. Ordinary usernames are free and set in the app. Collectible usernames are a separate kind: short or desirable names sold on Fragment through auctions and fixed-price sales.

Once you own one, you can attach it to your own account or to a channel, group or bot you own. Telegram's developer documentation describes this association step. You can also detach it and attach it somewhere else, or sell it on.

Owners of some existing ordinary usernames were able to convert them into collectibles and auction them. Fragment's help page describes a conversion fee taken from the first sale. If you are thinking about this, read the current terms on Fragment first.

For a deeper look at choosing, valuing and buying names, see Telegram usernames on Fragment.

Anonymous numbers

These are virtual phone numbers starting with +888. They are not tied to a SIM card or a mobile carrier. You can use one to sign up for Telegram without giving a real phone number.

Fragment states that the direct sale of these numbers ended in 2022. Today you can only buy one from another owner on the marketplace. Login codes for these numbers are delivered through Fragment rather than by SMS, which is why the wallet that holds the number matters so much.

Our guide to Telegram anonymous +888 numbers covers how they work for logins and the risks of relying on one.

Telegram Premium

You can buy Premium for yourself or as a gift for another account and pay in the TON coin. This is useful if a card payment is not available to you, or if you already hold crypto. Prices change, so check the current amount on the site before you pay. Step-by-step instructions are in how to buy Telegram Premium with TON on Fragment.

Telegram Stars

Stars are Telegram's in-app currency for digital goods, paid posts, reactions and subscriptions. In the app you buy them through the App Store, Google Play or other payment methods. Fragment offers another route: buying Stars with the TON coin. For what Stars are used for, see Telegram Stars explained.

Telegram Ads budget

Telegram Ads is Telegram's own self-serve advertising platform. Fragment can be used to fund ad accounts with TON. The ads themselves are created and run on the ads platform. Our Telegram Ads platform guide explains how campaigns work.

Withdrawals for channels and bots

This is the part most channel owners meet first. When a channel earns its share of ad revenue, or a channel or bot earns Stars, the money is withdrawn through Fragment to a TON wallet. Telegram's documentation describes the app asking for your two-step verification password and then opening a Fragment page that completes the withdrawal.

Collectible gifts

Some Telegram gifts can be upgraded into collectibles with unique attributes. Telegram's documentation says these can be transferred and, in a separate step, turned into a token on TON through Fragment. From there they can be held in a wallet or traded. Our Telegram gifts guide covers what upgrading means.

What Fragment does not do

Knowing the limits saves time and protects you from people who claim otherwise.

• It does not sell channels, groups or accounts. Only collectibles and services listed on the site. A "Fragment escrow" for buying a whole channel is not a Fragment feature. If you are buying or selling a channel, read how to buy a Telegram channel safely instead.
• It does not sell verification. The blue check on Telegram comes from Telegram's own verification process, not from owning a collectible name. See how to get verified on Telegram.
• It does not take card payments for collectibles. You need the TON coin. If someone offers to buy a Fragment item "for you" with your card, you are handing a stranger both money and trust.
• It does not replace free usernames. Ordinary usernames are still set in the app at no cost, as long as the name is free.
• It does not recover lost wallets. The help page says this plainly. A support account claiming it can restore a wallet is a scam.
• It does not grow your channel. A short name looks good, but readers still have to find and value your posts.

How Fragment works, step by step

The details on screen change, but the structure is stable. Here is what happens behind each action.

Connecting a wallet

Fragment uses TON Connect, the standard way TON wallets log in to websites. You press the button to connect TON, choose your wallet, and confirm in the wallet app. Nothing moves when you connect. The wallet only proves which address you control.

Fragment's help page points to self-custodial wallets and warns that if you lose your backup, nobody can restore it. Telegram's own Wallet also works for some actions, but read the next section before you choose. Our guide on connecting a TON wallet to Fragment or a Mini App walks through the screens.

Connecting Telegram

You log in with your Telegram account, usually by confirming in the app. This lets Fragment attach a username to your account, deliver Premium to it, or send you notifications about bids.

Paying

Every payment is a TON transaction from your wallet. Fragment shows the amount and the wallet asks you to confirm it. The network also charges a small fee in the TON coin, so keep a little extra beyond the price.

Receiving

Payouts go to the wallet connected at the time. Collectibles you buy are sent to the wallet you paid from. Fragment's terms are clear that a withdrawal recorded on the blockchain cannot be undone, so the wallet you connect is the one you will receive in.

Which wallet to use: custodial or self-custodial

This is the most important decision on Fragment, because the wallet holds whatever you buy.

Self-custodial wallets

You hold the recovery phrase. Nobody else can move your assets, and nobody else can recover them if you lose the phrase. Collectibles are held here as tokens, which is what Fragment's design expects.

Choose this if you are buying a username or number you intend to keep, or you are receiving regular channel payouts.

Custodial wallets

A custodial wallet, such as the main balance in Telegram's Wallet or an account at an exchange, is held by a company on your behalf. It is convenient for paying, but it may not support holding collectible tokens. Exchange addresses often need a memo or are shared between many customers.

Never use an exchange deposit address as the receiving wallet on Fragment for collectibles. The token can arrive somewhere you do not control. For payouts, check with the exchange first whether it accepts deposits from smart contracts and whether a memo is needed.

For a side-by-side comparison, read Tonkeeper vs Telegram Wallet.

How a username auction works

Auctions are where most confusion comes from, so here is the full cycle.

1. A username is put up for auction with a starting price and an end time.
2. You place a bid. Your bid amount is sent from your wallet and held while you are the highest bidder.
3. If someone outbids you, your bid is returned to your wallet. The return is automatic, but it is a blockchain transaction, so it may take a little time to appear.
4. Bids placed near the end can extend the auction. This stops last-second sniping. Expect the end time to move if bidding is active.
5. When the auction ends, the highest bidder receives the username token in their wallet.
6. The winner then assigns the username to an account, channel, group or bot from Fragment or in the app.

Fixed-price sales and offers

Some usernames are listed at a fixed price. You pay and receive the token straight away.

For a username already owned by someone, you can make an offer. Fragment forwards offers anonymously from buyer to seller, but the offering wallet is visible on the blockchain. A seller can accept, ignore or set a price.

Fees

Fragment's terms describe a platform fee on collectible transactions, taken as a percentage. There are also network fees. Check the current terms before you list or bid, because fees decide whether a resale makes any sense.

Example: following an auction from start to finish

This is an illustrative example, not real prices. Maya wants a short name for her cooking channel. She finds it in an auction with a few days left. She bids, gets outbid two days later, sees her first bid returned to her wallet, and bids again. On the last day, two more bids extend the end time. She decides on a ceiling in advance and stops there. Someone else wins, and her final bid is returned. She then looks at fixed-price names instead and buys one outright.

The lesson is not about price. It is that an auction ties up your bid while you lead, and the end time can move, so decide your limit before you start.

Assigning, moving and selling a collectible username

Owning the token and using the name are two separate steps. Many first-time buyers stop after the first one and wonder why nothing changed in Telegram.

Assigning it

1. Log in to Fragment with both the wallet that holds the username and your Telegram account.
2. Open the username's page or your list of owned collectibles.
3. Choose where it should go: your own account, or a channel, group or bot where you are the owner.
4. Confirm. The name now appears on that profile, and its t.me link points there.

You can only assign it to chats you own. Being an admin of someone else's channel is not enough.

Moving it between chats

You can detach the name and assign it elsewhere. The old t.me link then stops pointing to the old chat. Anyone who shared that link, in a post, a bio or an ad, will now reach the new destination. Plan the move, and update links you control first.

Channels can show more than one username. A common pattern is to keep a free username as the main link and add a collectible as an extra one, so old links keep working.

Selling it

1. Open the username's page on Fragment with the holding wallet connected.
2. Choose to sell, and pick an auction or a fixed price.
3. Set the price or starting bid and confirm the transaction in your wallet.
4. When it sells, the payment goes to your wallet, minus the platform fee, and the token moves to the buyer.

Once sold, the name is detached from your chat. Before you list a name your channel uses, give your audience a new link to follow. Our guide on changing a channel link covers how to do that without losing readers.

Troubleshooting common Fragment problems

The wallet will not connect

Most often the connection request opened in a different wallet app than the one you meant, or the wallet app was not updated. Close the request, update the wallet, and try again. On a computer, scanning the QR code with your phone's wallet is usually more reliable than a browser extension you rarely use.

A transaction is "pending" for a long time

Blockchain transactions usually confirm quickly, but busy periods happen. Check the transaction in your wallet's history. If the wallet shows it was never sent, it failed, often because the balance did not cover the fee. Do not repeat a payment until you know the first one failed.

An outbid bid has not come back

Returns are sent automatically but are still transactions. Look in your wallet's history for an incoming transfer from the auction. If nothing arrives after a reasonable time, contact Fragment's support from the site, with the auction and your wallet address. Do not accept help from people who message you first.

The username does not appear on my channel

You probably own the token but have not assigned it yet, or you assigned it to a different chat. Check the assignment on Fragment. Also confirm you are the channel's owner, not only an admin.

Fragment shows a different account than mine

You may be logged in with another Telegram account on that browser. Log out on Fragment and log in again, confirming in the app on the account you mean.

How withdrawals work for channel owners

If your channel earns, Fragment is the last step between Telegram and your wallet.

Ad revenue

Telegram shares advertising revenue with eligible public channels. The share is shown in the channel's statistics and is paid in the TON coin. Eligibility rules are set by Telegram and change; see Telegram ad revenue requirements for what we could confirm.

The usual flow is:

1. Open the channel's monetization or statistics screen in the app.
2. Choose to withdraw. The app asks for your two-step verification password.
3. The app opens a Fragment page for that withdrawal.
4. Connect the wallet you want to receive in, and confirm.
5. The payout is sent to that wallet as a blockchain transaction.

If you do not have two-step verification switched on, you cannot complete this. Set it up first with our two-step verification guide.

Stars

Channels and bots that earn Stars can withdraw them as the TON coin through Fragment. Fragment's terms say the conversion uses a market rate that is refreshed regularly. Telegram has also described a waiting period between earning Stars and being able to withdraw them, and a minimum balance. These rules change, so check in the app. Our Stars withdrawal guide has the full steps.

Telegram has also said that Stars earned by a channel or bot can be spent on Telegram Ads for that same channel or bot. That is an alternative to withdrawing if you planned to advertise anyway.

When withdrawals are unavailable

Fragment's terms say access to rewards can be paused or removed, including for rule breaches or legal reasons in some countries. If the withdraw button is missing or a page refuses, it is usually one of these:

• The balance is below the minimum.
• The waiting period for those Stars has not passed.
• Two-step verification is not set.
• Withdrawals are not available in your region.
• The account or channel has been restricted.

Telegram support, reached from the app's settings, is the right place to ask. Strangers offering to "unlock" a withdrawal are scammers.

Before you start: a checklist

Run through this before your first purchase or withdrawal.

• You are on fragment.com, typed by hand or from a bookmark, not a link someone sent you.
• Two-step verification is on for your Telegram account.
• You have a self-custodial TON wallet with the recovery phrase written down offline.
• You hold enough of the TON coin for the price plus network fees.
• You know whether the item is a token (username, number, gift) that must live in a wallet you control.
• You have decided your maximum for any auction.
• You have read the current fees and terms for the action you are taking.

Realistic scenarios

A channel owner withdrawing for the first time

Sam runs a public channel that earns a share of ad revenue. He has never used crypto. He installs a self-custodial wallet, writes down its recovery phrase on paper, and turns on two-step verification. He starts the withdrawal in the app, connects the new wallet on Fragment, and receives the payout. He then decides separately whether to keep it, spend it or move it to an exchange. Each of those is its own decision with its own risks.

Someone who wants a number without a SIM

Lena wants a Telegram account that is not linked to her phone number. She buys a +888 number from another owner on Fragment. She understands that the login code will come through Fragment, so the wallet holding the number is now the key to the account. She stores that wallet's recovery phrase as carefully as she would a house key.

A brand protecting its name

A small business finds its brand name available as a collectible username. It buys it, attaches it to its official channel, and keeps the token in a company wallet whose phrase is held by two people. That avoids the name sitting in one employee's personal wallet. For more on proving a channel is official, see verifying a crypto project's official Telegram.

The risks, one by one

Fragment itself is official. Most losses come from what surrounds it.

Fake sites and fake bots

Clones of Fragment exist. They look the same and ask you to connect a wallet, then request a transaction that drains it. Always check the address bar. Fragment does not message you first in Telegram, and there is no bot that "processes Fragment payments" for you.

Wallet loss

If you lose access to the wallet holding a username or number, you lose the collectible. With a +888 number, you can also lose the Telegram account, because the codes go through Fragment to the holder. Our guide on recovering a lost Telegram Wallet or TON wallet explains what is and is not recoverable.

Irreversible transactions

Blockchain transfers cannot be reversed. Sending to the wrong address, or connecting the wrong wallet for a payout, is final.

Price swings

The TON coin's value moves. A payout worth one amount today may be worth more or less tomorrow. A username bought as an investment can fall in value or find no buyer. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or hold.

Over-the-counter "deals"

Some sellers offer usernames privately, outside Fragment, for a lower price. The safe path is to buy through Fragment itself, where the token moves when the payment does. A private deal where you pay first and wait for a transfer is how many people lose money. Our crypto scams on Telegram guide lists the usual patterns.

Tax and legal questions

Buying, selling and withdrawing crypto can have tax consequences that depend on where you live. This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. See Telegram income taxes for creators for questions to raise with a professional.

Common mistakes

• Connecting an exchange address to receive a collectible. The token may become unrecoverable. Use a self-custodial wallet.
• Following a link from a chat to "Fragment". Type the address yourself.
• Forgetting network fees. A wallet holding exactly the price will fail to send.
• Bidding without a ceiling. Auctions extend near the end. Decide your limit first.
• Not setting up two-step verification before you need a withdrawal. Withdrawals ask for that password.
• Storing the recovery phrase in a screenshot or in Saved Messages. Anyone who gets into your phone or account gets your wallet.
• Believing a "migrate to Gram" message. The rename required no action from holders.
• Assuming a collectible username protects a brand everywhere. It covers Telegram usernames only.

What to do next

• If you run a channel and expect payouts, set up a self-custodial wallet and two-step verification now, before money is waiting.
• If you want a name for your channel, compare free usernames first with our channel username tips. A free name is often good enough.
• If you are new to the TON side of Telegram, read TON and Telegram explained for the bigger picture.

FAQ

Is Fragment owned by Telegram?

Yes. Fragment is Telegram's official marketplace for collectibles and related services. It is a separate website, but Telegram's own apps and documentation link to it for withdrawals and collectibles.

Do I need crypto to use Fragment?

Yes. Purchases are paid in the TON network's coin, and payouts arrive in it. You need a TON wallet with some of that coin, including enough for network fees.

Can I get a refund on Fragment?

Blockchain payments cannot be reversed by the sender. An outbid auction bid is returned automatically, but a completed purchase is final. Read the terms on Fragment for any exceptions.

Can I use Fragment without linking my real identity?

Fragment says it does not store a link between your wallet and your Telegram account. Wallet transactions are public on the blockchain, though, and an exchange you use to buy crypto may require identity checks.

Why does my channel's withdrawal not show on Fragment?

Usually the balance is below the minimum, the waiting period has not passed, two-step verification is off, or withdrawals are unavailable in your region. Check in the app and contact Telegram support if it stays missing.

Is a collectible username a good investment?

This guide gives no investment advice. Collectibles can lose value or be hard to sell. Buy one because you want to use it, and only with money you can afford to lose.

Summary

Fragment is Telegram's official marketplace on the TON blockchain. It sells collectible usernames and +888 numbers, takes TON payments for Premium, Stars and ads, and handles withdrawals of channel and bot earnings. Every action needs a TON wallet, and every transaction is final. Use a self-custodial wallet for anything you want to keep, turn on two-step verification, type the address yourself, and check current fees and rules on the site before you act.