TON-Based NFT Marketplace MRKT Launches as a Telegram Mini App

The marketplace was created by an anonymous developer who goes by “Tyler Durden” (not to be confused with X user @TylerDurden, who is also named after the Fight Club character). Durden told The Block in an email interview that the marketplace’s goal is to bring digital ownership to everyday Telegram users. “I’m a Telegram-native developer and digital artist,” Durden said. “I started experimenting with Telegram bots, mini apps, and NFTs back in 2021, and I started the MRKT project a few months ago.”

The launch comes just days after Telegram introduced its official gifts marketplace, which allows users to instantly buy and sell Telegram gifts. These gifts are NFTs on the TON blockchain. Other TON-based NFT marketplaces — like Fragment and Getgems — also exist, but each has a different approach, according to Durden.

When asked what makes MRKT different, Durden said that Telegram’s gifts marketplace is built for mainstream users and only supports Telegram Stars as a payment method. Fragment and Getgems, meanwhile, are fully on-chain. “MRKT uses semi on-chain mechanics,” Durden said, “allowing for faster, more flexible user experiences within Telegram.” It also supports TON payments, auctions, multi-item listings, rarity filters, and direct TON wallet integration — all aimed at making resale faster and smoother, they added.

Telegram’s gift economy has already crossed $34 million in trading volume, according to a Dune data dashboard. But the dashboard warns that platforms like MRKT, Tonnel, Nest and Gifton use internal balance systems — meaning volume is measured by user deposits and withdrawals, not actual gift or NFT trades. As a result, the reported numbers may overstate the real trading activity on these platforms. Durden said they’ve spent over $1 million in the last two months sending digital gifts to random Telegram users. When asked for proof, they noted that most of the activity happens via Telegram’s off-chain gifting system, and a public dashboard showing distribution and volume is in the works.

Durden described Telegram gifts as NFTs on TON, designed for social interaction, not speculation. “Telegram gifts are built around conversation, collecting, fun, and real utility,” they said. “Users can receive them in chats, ‘wear’ them on their profiles, or trade them. Some are rare drops; others are mass-distributed. It’s about owning things that feel personal.”