Hypernest Podcast is a monthly series where we meet Web3 founders, industry leaders, and blockchain experts to discuss various topics in the Web3 space.

DeFi has consistently struggled to overcome one critical bottleneck: mainstream adoption. While protocols have matured and features such as staking, lending, and vault strategies are increasingly sophisticated, the user experience remains daunting for anyone outside the tight-knit DeFi community. Enter Telegram DeFi Integration. By merging the TON blockchain directly into the everyday chat interface of a billion users, one of the most compelling innovation vectors for DeFi adoption is taking shape. In a recent HyperNest podcast episode, Pavel Altukhov, co-founder of TAC and a long-time investor turned builder, walks us through this paradigm shift in the making.

Speaker Introduction: Meet Pavel Altukhov

Pavel brings a hybrid perspective to the DeFi world, blending traditional investment acumen with hands-on Web3 experience. After starting his career in asset management and investing in crypto since 2017, Pavel’s journey evolved through Telegram’s early blockchain attempts. His deep involvement in the TON ecosystem, including launching the first liquid staking solution, led to co-founding TAC, a layer-1 EVM-compatible blockchain designed to integrate DeFi into Telegram seamlessly. His experience makes him uniquely qualified to discuss what true user-centric DeFi at scale can look like.

Why Telegram DeFi Integration Is a Game-Changer

1. DeFi Meets UX: Solving the Distribution Bottleneck

A consistent theme throughout Pavel’s journey is a user-first lens on blockchain development. Most DeFi platforms still cater to a niche “degen” audience, those who are technically savvy and invested in the ecosystem’s tribal culture. But for broad adoption, UX simplicity must take center stage. Telegram DeFi Integration addresses this head-on by embedding easy-to-use decentralized finance products directly within the world’s most downloaded messaging app.

2. The TON and TAC Relationship Makes It Seamless

TAC is neither a typical sidechain nor just another layer two. It’s an independent EVM-compatible L1 uniquely integrated with TON, which in turn is baked into Telegram. Most importantly, its TON adapter eliminates cumbersome workflows like wallet fragmentation, cross-chain bridging, and gas fee complexity. Users can perform actions, like swapping, staking, or borrowing directly from their Telegram wallet using familiar screens. In short, TAC turns advanced crypto functions into simple tap-and-sign experiences.

Key Features of Telegram DeFi Integration with TAC

1. TON Adapter & Gas Abstraction

One of the technological marvels behind this integration is the TON adapter. This component serves multiple functions:

– It acts as a universal bridge between TON and TAC.

– It abstracts wallet connections so users don’t need to distinguish between different chains.

– It automates gas payments using TON, with future plans to support fees in stablecoins like USDT.

This structure allows a completely seamless user experience. As Pavel states, “You should not know TAC exists. You should only know that you can swap, earn, or stake in Telegram.”

2. Deploy Once, Reach a Billion Users

Telegram Mini Apps (TMAs) are the cornerstone of Telegram DeFi Integration. Builders can deploy fully functional dApps directly into the chat experience, no downloads necessary. These apps already enjoy mass engagement, as evidenced by viral hits like Hamster Kombat. TAC enhances this format further by linking them to DeFi protocols such as Morpho, Curve, and Euler behind the scenes.

Ask yourself: what would you build differently if you knew you’d get in front of one billion users overnight? With TAC, that’s not a hypothetical. That’s deployment-ready reality.

3. Vaults, Yield, Collateral: DeFi for the Masses

Pavel envisions a future where Telegram wallets can offer yield-bearing assets, mirrored after traditional finance but significantly simplified. For example:

– Users could ‘stake’ stablecoins to access premium features in Telegram games.

– DeFi vaults could earn interest while users enjoy social or utility apps.

– Tap-to-earn games might allow users to borrow against their tokens to spend in other mini apps, all without ever leaving Telegram.

Rather than asking users to become DeFi native, TAC enables everyday people to passively interact with crypto infrastructure built directly into their normal digital interactions.

The Future of Telegram, DeFi & Super Apps

1. Lessons from WeChat, Building Beyond Hype

It’s tempting to compare Telegram’s roadmap to WeChat’s super app model. While similar in ambition, what makes Telegram uniquely viable is its commitment to decentralization and user freedom. Unlike WeChat, which is deeply integrated with the Chinese government’s surveillance apparatus, Telegram refuses to monetize user data and offers end-to-end privacy. Therefore, Telegram’s DeFi ecosystem isn’t just a clone of traditional fintech; it’s something entirely new.

The key insight? The path to massive DeFi adoption requires building on a platform users already trust and use daily. By integrating all the backend complexity within TAC and making it invisible to end-users, builders can focus solely on improving UX and product-market-fit.

2. Builders, Take Note: This Is the Moment

TAC and TON uniquely solve both the UX and distribution challenges that have hampered DeFi for years. For developers, especially those building in DeFi and RWA, the opportunity is enormous:

– Access to Telegram’s billion-strong user base.

– Prebuilt wallet infrastructure (custodial and non-custodial).

– A battle-tested bridge between Web3 composability and Web2 usability.

– Gas abstraction to onboard users with zero friction.

As Pavel succinctly puts it, “You can deploy in front of a billion users in a snap. Now think about how your product would change knowing that.”

Accelerate Your Journey in DeFi Lending with HyperNest!

Are you building the next big innovation in DeFi? Whether you’re experimenting with staking derivatives, decentralized credit markets, or reinventing the payment rails, HyperNest is your launchpad. Through tailored mentorship, access to strategic capital, and guidance from industry leaders like Pavel, we help DeFi and RWA startups turn vision into exponential growth.

Apply to the HyperNest program and join the ranks of pioneers shaping the intent-powered future of DeFi.

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