Send, receive and sell gifts
What it is
A gift is an animated item bought with Stars and sent to a person or a channel with a message. The recipient shows it on their profile or, for a limited time, converts it to Stars. Limited gifts sell out, so new releases go to auction. Many upgrade into numbered collectibles you can wear, sell for Stars or Grams, or move to the TON blockchain. Since August 2026 you can sign one you buy from another user.
How to do it
Same on iOS, Android and Desktop.
- Send: profile › ⋮ / ⋯ › Send a Gift (channels: the gift icon at the bottom),… Send: profile › ⋮ / ⋯ › Send a Gift (channels: the gift icon at the bottom), add a message, Hide My Name if you like, and pay.
- Got one: keep it on your profile or convert it to Stars; a channel gets them on its balance.
- Upgrade makes it a collectible, free if the sender prepaid.
- My Profile › Gifts › a collectible: Wear, Transfer (to a person or the blockchain) or Sell; Unlist stops a sale.
- To sign one: Send a Gift › Collectibles, buy it, add your signature and a comment.
Watch out
- Converting destroys the gift, pays less than it cost and lowers your profile rating.
- Per Telegram's docs, sellers get 80% of a Stars price (90% in Grams); minimum 125 Stars.
- Stars paid to you can be refunded; Only Accept Grams avoids that.
- A gift bought with Stars can't be passed on for 21 days; Grams skip the wait.
With Gem
Gem doesn't send or sell Telegram gifts. Nearby: in /myprojects → Sell you describe an offer in words, like «Supporter for 1 Star: a badge and a thank-you», and people buy it for Stars in your project's Mini App.
Sources
- https://telegram.org/blog/welcome-messages-buttons-TG-13
- https://telegram.org/blog/wear-gifts-blockchain-and-more
- https://telegram.org/blog/gift-marketplace-and-more
- https://core.telegram.org/api/gifts