Pavel Durov Spends $12K on Rare Plush Pepe NFT, Then Passes It to Telegram Designer

Telegram's founder Pavel Durov has made headlines again in the world of blockchain collectibles, this time by purchasing Plush Pepe #834 for 7,500 GRAM tokens on The Open Network (TON) — and then gifting the NFT directly to Adler Toberg, a designer closely associated with Telegram's visual interface and gift system.

This marks the third time Durov has publicly acquired a TON-based digital collectible in just over half a year. His first Plush Pepe purchase came in December 2025, followed by a Telegram Gift NFT in January 2026. The pattern suggests more than casual curiosity — it signals a deliberate, hands-on involvement in the digital asset infrastructure that Telegram is actively building.

At GRAM's current trading price of $1.55, the 7,500 GRAM spent on the NFT translates to approximately $11,625. The item in question is a Donatello-model Plush Pepe — a 1% rarity variant featuring a Bell Pepper symbol (0.5% rarity) and a Navy Blue background (2% rarity). Out of 2,861 total Donatello editions in existence, 2,825 have already been claimed by collectors.

Plush Pepes are Telegram's officially issued collectibles series, minted natively on the TON blockchain. What began as profile accessories has since evolved into something more substantial. GOAT Gaming's Underground Pepe project transformed these collectibles into functional gaming assets, introducing a dedicated in-game rewards currency tied to them. The broader secondary market has also seen strong activity — a Telegram username recently sold for 500,000 USDT in a TON NFT resale, underscoring the growing appetite for Telegram-native digital assets.

The TON network itself has undergone significant technical improvements to keep pace with increasing demand. A major protocol upgrade boosted the network's throughput tenfold, bringing transaction finality down to sub-second speeds — a critical improvement for high-frequency NFT trading and in-app interactions.

As for the gift recipient, Adler Toberg is no stranger to the Telegram ecosystem. He has publicly shared insights into the direction of Telegram's collectibles program, including commentary on the release schedule for new digital gifts. Durov's decision to transfer a high-value NFT to a member of his own team carries symbolic weight — within Telegram's growing on-chain culture, collectibles have taken on a social dimension, functioning as markers of community standing and internal recognition.

The transfer itself drew attention even before it was confirmed. The official TON Blockchain account on X (formerly Twitter) had jokingly suggested Durov might pass the NFT to a Telegram intern as a workplace bonus. The reality turned out to be surprisingly close to that prediction.

On the token side, the asset formerly known as Toncoin underwent a rebrand to GRAM following an 81% governance vote — a nod to the name used in Telegram's original 2018 whitepaper. The network has also expanded its reach through Apple Watch integration and a broader ecosystem development push, positioning TON as a multi-platform Web3 infrastructure layer.

With each on-chain transaction, Durov — as the sitting CEO of Telegram — sends a visible signal across the network. His continued personal investment in TON collectibles reinforces the message that Telegram's blockchain ambitions are not just a product feature, but a cultural commitment backed from the top.