Walt started out as a crypto wallet inside Telegram but is now available as a separate app. Users no longer need a Telegram account to sign up, as they can register with Google or Apple instead.
Until now, the platform was available through Telegram, where users could buy, store and transfer cryptocurrencies. The standalone app opens Walt to people who don’t use the messaging service.
The standalone version is aimed at people looking for more than basic crypto transfers. According to Egor Danilov, chief product officer at Walt and its developer, The Open Platform, the launch is primarily about making the platform available to a wider audience.
Walt’s new app brings together several trading and investment products. Users can buy and sell cryptocurrencies, access tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and use yield-generating products.
It also supports perpetual futures linked to cryptocurrencies, metals and energy markets. These contracts have no expiry date and allow traders to take positions on price movements.
The same products were already accessible through Walt’s Telegram version. The standalone launch, however, is expected to allow the company more room to develop its own platform. Danilov said new trading features and additional asset classes will appear in the separate app first. Crypto payment cards are also on the roadmap, although the company has not announced a launch date.
The move follows Walt’s rebranding in September. At the time, Telegram announced that its wallet would take Walt’s place in the messaging app’s settings. Walt has remained accessible through its Telegram bot.
The company says it has accumulated tens of millions of registered users but has not shared figures for monthly active users, trading volumes or assets held by customers.
Existing customers will be able to use both versions with the same account. The standalone app will initially be available in the markets where Walt already operates, although access to certain investment products will depend on the user’s location.
