Why Telegram Can Be The Perfect Foundation For Digital Asset Neobanks

Forbes

4 days ago

Alexander Sudeykin is a co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Evaa Protocol, a leading lending protocol.
Digital assets aren't just for the deeply technical anymore; a significant shift is underway. We're seeing protocols like Ether.fi aggressively rolling out cash cards and expanding its product suite with banking services. Even wallet giants like MetaMask are getting into the debit card game. The message from the market is loud and clear: The crypto world is now intensely focused on delivering that smooth, intuitive, bank-like user experience.
The reality is, people aren't lining up to become DeFi wizards or blockchain architects. They simply want to feel their money is safe, easily accessible and firmly under their control. All of this without needing a Ph.D. in cryptography or navigating a dozen different interfaces.
Can Telegram Really Be The Bedrock For Neobanks?
As many Ethereum-based projects continue to build out distinct, separate applications, each demanding its own learning curve, The Open Network (TON) ecosystem is charting a different course. Instead of pulling users into entirely new digital environments, TON is strategically weaving sophisticated financial actions directly into Telegram—a platform over a billion people are using every month.
Think about the implications. Inside the familiar confines of Telegram, essential financial tools like digital wallets and seamless USDT transactions are already working smoothly. Access to a universe of tokens, bustling marketplaces and chatbots is becoming a native part of how people communicate and manage their digital lives.
This vision of deeply embedded finance isn't just aspirational; we have powerful precedents. Look at Alipay. Even back in 2020, it boasted 1.3 billion users and 80 million merchants worldwide, processing trillions in annual payments. PayPal, in 2024, handled $1.68 trillion in transactions across 434 million active accounts. Now, consider TON; its total DEX transaction volume recently shot past $10 billion, supported by nearly 2.1 million monthly active wallets.
Further cementing this potential, TON became the exclusive blockchain infrastructure for all Telegram Mini Apps in January. A strategic partnership of this depth is poised to significantly fuel TON's growth and accelerate its adoption. Moreover, it has the potential to put TON and Telegram on the path of PayPal and Alipay for global users, offering even more flexibility, openness and decentralization.
As an early DeFi lending protocol on TON, we at EVAA serve as a compelling illustration of this native integration. Users can stake USDT and access yield directly through the Telegram interface, without needing to switch between browser tabs or connect external wallets. The goal is to make the process simple and accessible.
The User Dilemma: Complexity Vs. Simplicity
Lately, there's a palpable, growing disconnect between what much of the digital assets world is building and what everyday users truly need. On one side, you have the powerful Web3 ideals: true decentralization, self-custody and cutting out unnecessary intermediaries.
However, on the other side, you have the vast majority of people who primarily crave simplicity, comfort and security in their finances. They want to feel confident that their money is safe. The more the DeFi space dedicates to intricate onboarding, the clearer it becomes. Most folks don't want the burden of being their own bank in the most technical sense.
Bridging The Gap: Where Trust Meets Technology
The projects and platforms that successfully bridge this chasm—the gap between profound technical complexity and that essential feeling of trust and ease—will define the next-generation neobank. Because, at the end of the day, people aren't actively searching for a decentralized protocol; they're searching for peace of mind.
They crave financial tools that are not just powerful but also empowering through their simplicity. Tools that make them feel confident in control, not perpetually overwhelmed.
And perhaps, just perhaps, the foundation for that first truly compelling mass-market digital asset neobank isn't a flashy new fintech app. Maybe it's already here, sitting quietly on our phones, used multiple times a day. That familiar blue icon we tap every morning to check our messages could be the key.
Finance Where You Already Live
TON, with its uniquely deep and increasingly seamless Telegram integration, is making an exceptionally strong case. It suggests the future of accessible, user-friendly Web3 finance might just be built where users already congregate, communicate and live their digital lives.
The challenge ahead, for TON—and for projects like EVAA building upon it—is to continue meticulously crafting that frictionless experience. It's about layering in the sophisticated, powerful tools of DeFi in a way that feels utterly natural. It should be almost invisible to someone who simply wants to save, spend, borrow or earn.
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