Snoop Dogg’s foray into Telegram‘s digital collectibles ecosystem generated $12 million in sales within thirty minutes—a velocity that would make even the most seasoned crypto traders pause and reconsider their assumptions about market timing. The rapper’s inaugural drop on the messaging platform moved nearly one million unique digital collectibles, positioning itself as Telegram’s first celebrity digital gift offering and suggesting that reports of NFTs’ demise may have been greatly exaggerated.
The collection drew inspiration from Snoop Dogg‘s iconography, featuring digital dogs (“Doggs”) bearing his likeness alongside marijuana-themed objects, vintage automobiles, and branded swag bags. Telegram’s in-app currency “Stars” facilitated transactions, with digital dog tokens priced at 200 stars while premium cigar NFTs commanded 1,000 stars each. The pricing strategy proved effective: approximately 600,000 digital dog tokens sold at mid-tier levels, while over 120,000 premium cigar collectibles found buyers despite higher costs.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov confirmed the sale’s success, marking a notable intersection between mainstream celebrity engagement and blockchain technology. The platform’s billion-plus user base received notifications about the drop, while Snoop Dogg leveraged his YouTube channel’s ten million subscribers through a music video tied to his new song “Gifts”—a marketing synergy that traditional finance might describe as vertical integration with entertainment flair.
The technical infrastructure reveals Telegram’s strategic positioning within the TON blockchain ecosystem. Initially sold and registered internally on Telegram, these collectibles await blockchain minting and secondary market functionality scheduled for twenty-one days post-launch. TON, originally developed by Telegram’s team before evolving to open-source community maintenance, now powers the platform’s on-chain features.
Market metrics suggest broader implications beyond celebrity novelty. Telegram’s NFT Gifts market capitalization reached $200 million by June 2025, with daily trading volumes exceeding $8 million. This performance indicates growing mainstream adoption of blockchain collectibles, particularly when celebrity brands intersect with established communication platforms. The surge in NFT activity has attracted 263,000 unique wallets to participate in trading activities across the platform’s growing ecosystem. Snoop Dogg’s crypto credentials span over a decade, beginning with his bitcoin acceptance for an album in 2013.
The success signals potential revival narratives for NFTs amid persistent market skepticism, demonstrating how celebrity endorsement combined with accessible distribution channels can rapidly mobilize significant capital flows within digital asset markets. The launch coincides with a broader trend of institutional adoption driven by clearer regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions in 2025.
