The @boss Telegram username NFT changed ownership for 500,000 USDT on Monday. The on-chain transfer routed one of the messaging app's most coveted handles to a new pseudonymous wallet.
The resale settled in a single transaction on the TON network. The 500,000 USDT payment cleared as two Jetton transfers, according to blockchain explorer Tonviewer.
The previous owner claimed @boss in November 2022 during the early Fragment auctions. The buyer paid 40,000 Toncoin (TON), worth around $64,000 at the time. The resale represents an 8x return over 3.5 years.
Telegram launched username trading through Fragment in late 2022. Each handle is recorded as an NFT on TON, making it non-revocable by Telegram.
Owners can list and resell handles on secondary marketplaces such as GetGems.
In the latest case, the new owner's address ends in 16b2, with no public label tying it to a known person or project.
Short, English-word handles like @boss, @news, and @crypto attract premium bids. Buyers value them as branding tools and as digital identity. The @news handle sold for an estimated $1.7 million in 2022.
@danbao changed hands for $2.2 million in February 2026. The @crypto handle reportedly received a $25 million offer in 2025 after a $350,000 acquisition.
Meanwhile, NFT activity on Telegram has climbed sharply since 2024, helped by the platform's exclusive integration with TON.