A New Era Powered by Artificial Intelligence on Telegram
Telegram has recently drawn the attention of the tech world with two major moves in artificial intelligence and financial restructuring. Thanks to its collaboration with Elon Musk’s initiative xAI, the advanced chatbot Grok has been directly integrated into the Telegram application. With this integration, users can now access Grok’s features within the app without needing to install any additional software. Grok transforms the communication experience with AI-powered capabilities such as document summarization, real-time responses, smart search, and content generation in chats.
Impact of Grok AI on Telegram
Some of Grok bot’s most impressive features include its ability to provide smart responses even in group chats, save users time by summarizing documents, and guide conversations based on user interests. These features are more broadly available to Telegram Premium users, while free users will have limited access after a certain period. Telegram ensures data security by maintaining its existing privacy infrastructure throughout all these operations.
Financial Empowerment Through Bond Issuance
Following the AI step, Telegram made another major announcement: a plan to raise $1.5 billion through the issuance of five-year bonds with a 9% interest rate. The funds raised will be used to buy back debt from a previous bond offering in 2021. Telegram’s new bonds can be converted into discounted equity shares in the event of a future IPO. This structure offers investors a potentially significant return opportunity.
Investor Interest and Reflections on the Crypto Market
The bond offering has attracted notable attention. Institutional giants like BlackRock, Mubadala, and Citadel have participated in the initiative, reinforcing their trust in Telegram and its future vision. The structure of the bond not only aims to repay debt but also creates a robust resource for future investments.
These developments have also impacted the cryptocurrency market. Following the announcement of Grok AI’s integration, Toncoin (TON) — the digital asset associated with Telegram — gained 23% in value in a short period. With a market cap reaching $7.5 billion, Toncoin once again captured investor attention. Additionally, tokenization initiative Libre plans to digitize $500 million worth of Telegram debt via TON, marking a significant step at the intersection of blockchain and traditional finance.
Durov’s Legal Process and Company Expansion Goals
Meanwhile, a legal process involving Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has not overshadowed the company’s expansion plans. An investigation launched in France claims that Telegram has not adequately cooperated in the fight against illegal content. Durov, however, denied the allegations, stating that all official requests have been addressed within legal frameworks. The case has also prevented Durov from traveling to the United States.
These strategic moves appear poised to shape Telegram’s future positioning. The AI integration is significantly improving user experience, while the bond issuance strengthens debt management and creates capital for new investments. The rise of Toncoin and strong interest from institutional investors demonstrate that these strategies are already having an impact in the short term.
Key highlights from Telegram’s recent developments:
- Grok AI is integrated directly into Telegram, offering in-app AI-powered features.
- $1.5 billion will be raised through bond issuance; the funds will be used to repurchase existing debt.
- BlackRock, Mubadala, and Citadel have shown interest in the bond offering.
- Toncoin gained 23% in value after the Grok AI integration announcement.
- Telegram CEO Pavel Durov denies allegations in an ongoing investigation in France.
