Telegram under threat of being recognized as a terrorist resource: crypto operations in Russia on the brink of a ban
The cryptocurrency market in Russia has faced a new existential challenge. Telegram, the messenger that has become key infrastructure for digital assets, may be officially recognized as a terrorist resource. This scenario, which seemed unlikely until recently, now looks frighteningly real.
On July 29, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which carries a penalty of up to life imprisonment. The reason is the messenger's administration refusal to delete channels, chats, and bots used to prepare sabotage and terrorist acts. According to the agency, over 153,000 crimes have been committed through the platform since 2022, of which 33,000 are sabotage-terrorist in nature. 475 terrorist attacks have been prevented.
However, the consequences of this case extend far beyond criminal prosecution. If Telegram is included in one of the anti-terrorist lists, the entire cryptocurrency ecosystem of the messenger will come under attack. Operations with digital assets within the platform risk falling outside the legal framework, and Russian companies will lose the ability to service them.
Gram Wallet and token in the crosshairs
The situation becomes particularly acute against the backdrop of Pavel Durov's recent announcement on July 21 of the built-in Gram Wallet cryptocurrency wallet for all Telegram applications. Already, many alternative cryptocurrency wallets are functioning in the messenger, including a built-in mini-application. All of them could be at risk.
The market reacted moderately. The Gram rate fell from $1.44 to $1.39, then partially recovered to $1.42. Market capitalization dropped to $3.89 billion, but daily turnover surged by more than 58%, to $71.28 million, indicating active speculative trading.
Analyst comment: The situation around Telegram is not just a legal incident. It is a systemic risk for the entire crypto infrastructure built on the messenger. Investors and users should closely monitor developments: recognizing Telegram as a terrorist resource could trigger a sharp collapse of the Gram token and paralyze crypto services within the platform.