Why the Default Matters
Defaults are powerful. When a platform preselects an option, most people stick with it. By making the Gram wallet the default, Telegram is effectively giving every user a self-custodial wallet without them having to seek it out. That's a significant shift from the usual approach, where crypto wallets are an optional add-on.
Self-custody means the user holds the private keys. Telegram doesn't have access to the funds. That's a different model from custodial wallets, where a third party manages the keys. For users, it means more control, but also more responsibility. Lose your recovery phrase, and you lose your funds.
The move also signals that Telegram sees crypto as a core feature, not a side experiment. By making the wallet a default, the company is betting that users will want to engage with digital assets directly from their messaging app.
The Rebrand to Walt
The wallet service, previously known as Wallet, is now Walt. The name change accompanies the default setting rollout. It's a fresh identity for a feature that's becoming more central to Telegram's offering
