Telegram has applied for the .gram top-level domain through ICANN's 2026 application round, a move that could give the messaging platform's billion-plus users personal web addresses tied to their usernames and potentially transform how people interact with web services through messaging applications.
Founder Pavel Durov announced the application, saying that if approved, Telegram users could receive personal domains in the format username.gram, enabling them to create personal websites accessible through a web browser. The application represents a significant expansion of Telegram's ambitions beyond messaging into the domain name and web hosting space.
What the .gram Domain Would Enable
Under the proposed system, Telegram's billion users could claim personal domains using their existing Telegram usernames. A user with the username @cryptoenthusiast would potentially receive the domain cryptoenthusiast.gram, which could host a personal website, profile page, or other web content. The system would integrate with Telegram's existing infrastructure, potentially allowing users to create websites through prompts within the messaging app itself.
The domain application is part of a broader trend of technology companies seeking their own top-level domains. Companies like Google with .google, Amazon with .amazon, and Apple with .apple have already secured their own TLDs, using them for branded services and products. Telegram's application for .gram represents a different approach, where the domain would be used to provide personal web identities to users rather than simply for corporate branding.
The ICANN Application Process
ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, opened its 2026 application round for new top-level domains earlier this year. The process is competitive and expensive, with application fees running into hundreds of thousands of dollars and the evaluation process taking months or years. ICANN evaluates applications based on technical capability, financial stability, and the proposed use case for the domain.
Telegram's application will need to demonstrate that the company can technically manage a top-level domain registry and that the .gram domain would serve the public interest. The company will also need to address potential conflicts with existing domain holders and trademark holders who might have claims on names within the .gram namespace. For more on Web3 infrastructure developments, see our coverage of Solana's cross-chain expansion.
Implications for Web Identity and Decentralization
The .gram domain application intersects with broader discussions about web identity and decentralization in the cryptocurrency and Web3 communities. While Telegram's approach is centralized under a single corporate entity, it would provide web identities to a user base that includes many people in regions with limited internet infrastructure and digital identity systems.
Cryptocurrency projects have explored similar concepts through blockchain-based domain systems like Unstoppable Domains and the Ethereum Name Service, which provide decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS. Telegram's centralized approach would be simpler for everyday users but would not offer the censorship resistance and user ownership that blockchain-based domains provide. The tension between accessibility and decentralization remains a central debate in the Web3 identity space.
Telegram's Expanding Crypto Ambitions
The domain application is the latest in a series of moves that deepen Telegram's involvement with cryptocurrency and Web3 technology. The company has integrated the TON blockchain for payments and has supported various crypto-related features within the messaging platform. The .gram domain name itself echoes the Gram token that was associated with Telegram's abandoned blockchain project, though the domain application appears to be independent of any token-related initiative.
If approved, the .gram domain could create a new layer of web identity infrastructure built on top of Telegram's messaging platform. It would also position Telegram as a domain registry operator, a role traditionally held by specialized infrastructure companies. The outcome of the ICANN application process will determine whether this vision becomes reality, with a decision potentially taking a year or more. For more on technology developments, read our coverage of Arthur Hayes and the AI-crypto convergence.
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