Telegram founder Pavel Durov bought Plush Pepe #834 for 7,500 Gram (GRAM) on The Open Community, then transferred the NFT to Adler Toberg, a designer linked to Telegram’s interface and present system.
The acquisition marks Durov’s third confirmed buy of a TON collectible in simply over six months. He added his first Plush Pepe in December 2025, then picked up a Telegram Reward NFT in January 2026. Collectively, the strikes replicate deliberate and ongoing private engagement with the digital asset layer Telegram continues to construct.
Plush Pepes and the TON Collectibles Market
Plush Pepes are Telegram’s official collectibles collection, issued natively on The Open Community (TON). At GRAM’s present worth of $1.55, the 7,500 GRAM spent on Plush Pepe #834 involves roughly $11,625.
The precise piece is the Donatello mannequin, a 1% rarity variant, with a Bell Pepper image (0.5%) and a Navy Blue backdrop (2%). Of the two,861 Donatello editions, 2,825 have discovered house owners.
TON improvement has accelerated alongside the demand for collectibles. A serious protocol improve made TON 10 instances quicker, chopping transaction instances to sub-second finality.
On the product aspect, GOAT Gaming’s Underground Pepe moved Plush Pepes past profile equipment. The undertaking turned them into lively gaming property, full with a devoted rewards forex.
Secondary market exercise has additionally expanded. A Telegram username bought for 500,000 USDT in a latest TON NFT resale, reflecting sturdy demand for Telegram-native property.
Durov Presents the NFT to Designer Adler Toberg
The TON Blockchain X account responded to Durov’s buy with a dry piece of humor. It expressed hope that he would cross the NFT alongside to a Telegram intern as a office bonus. The joke turned out to be near the reality.
Durov transferred Plush Pepe #834 on to Adler Toberg, a designer identified for his work on Telegram’s interface and present system. Toberg has beforehand made public statements concerning the path of Telegram’s collectibles program, together with the cadence of latest present releases.
The switch factors to one thing actual. Inside the Telegram ecosystem, collectibles now carry social weight as markers of group standing. Durov’s determination to offer a high-value NFT to a member of his group reinforces that dynamic.
His function as Telegram’s CEO makes every on-chain transfer a visual sign throughout the community.
The token itself additionally modified course this yr. GRAM was rebranded from Toncoin following an 81% governance vote, reverting to the title from Telegram’s authentic 2018 whitepaper. The chain additionally broadened its attain via Apple Watch integration and a wider ecosystem push.
The put up Pavel Durov Presents $12,000 Value of Plush Pepe NFT to a Telegram Designer appeared first on BeInCrypto.