Telegram is not a neobank — it’s the platform where the next ones are born

The next wave of Web3 neobanks won’t be standalone apps; they'll be embedded within platforms people already use.

Opinion by: Vlad Kamyshov, CEO of Evaa Protocol

The race to build the next big Web3 neobank is missing the point. Most projects are still focused on launching standalone apps, creating new interfaces and rebuilding user acquisition strategies from the ground up. It’s a familiar playbook, and increasingly an outdated one. In crypto, the next generation of finance won’t ask users to switch apps; it’ll meet them where they already are.

Telegram and The Open Network (TON) aren’t trying to become neobanks themselves. They’ve already moved beyond that contest — one where Revolut and Monzo still fight for share. Together, they offer what nearly every crypto banking product lacks: a built-in audience, an intuitive interface, distribution embedded inside existing user flows and the rails to deliver instant financial utility. 

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