Walt Adds Fiat-to-Crypto Payments in 173 Countries
Financial services firms running payment or on-ramp products should watch how custodial crypto apps bundle fiat access directly.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Financial Services
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Alchemy Pay has integrated fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat payment services into Walt, the Telegram-based app formerly known as Wallet in Telegram, letting users in 173 countries buy and sell supported cryptocurrencies inside the app. Financial services operators tracking crypto payment rails should note the integration went live on November 3, 2026.
Why it matters
The integration removes a step that previously required buying crypto on a separate exchange and transferring it over, which shifts where on-ramp activity happens. Walt's custodial model, in which the platform manages users' private keys, means the payment layer and the custody layer now sit within one product.
Alchemy Pay's integration covers 173 countries, more than 50 fiat currencies, and over 300 payment channels, while Walt offers trading on over 200 of its more than 300 supported cryptocurrencies across four blockchains. Alchemy Pay's 19 US Money Transmitter Licenses are the regulatory figure the announcement cites, though no transaction volume or adoption comparator is reported.
The players
Alchemy Pay
A crypto payment infrastructure provider that connects fiat payment channels with digital asset platforms, holding 19 US Money Transmitter Licenses.
Walt
The Telegram-based crypto app, formerly Wallet in Telegram, that operates a custodial service supporting over 300 cryptocurrencies.
Telegram
The messaging platform on which Walt operates, and which runs its own separate non-custodial wallet now called Money.
The details
Users can buy or sell supported cryptocurrencies through Visa, Mastercard, mobile wallets and local bank transfers without first purchasing the assets on a separate exchange and moving them into a wallet. The integration connects Alchemy Pay's payment infrastructure directly with Walt's custodial service, where the platform manages users' private keys. Telegram's separate non-custodial wallet is now called Money, which distinguishes the two products within the Telegram ecosystem.
Timeline
September 2024: Alchemy Pay introduced crypto payments through The Open Network.
March 2025: Alchemy Pay partnered with Ledger for a Ledger Live integration.
September 2025: Alchemy Pay launched a tokenized investment platform with xStocks.
September 28, 2026: Wallet in Telegram was rebranded as Walt.
November 3, 2026: Alchemy Pay announced the Walt payment integration.
Market Landscape
Walt's custodial model sits alongside Telegram's non-custodial wallet, now called Money, giving users within the same messaging platform two different custody options. Alchemy Pay's sequence of integrations, from The Open Network in 2024 to Ledger in 2025 to xStocks later that year, shows a pattern of connecting payment rails to existing crypto distribution channels.
Financial services firms that handle payments or on-ramps should compare the custodial and non-custodial models now present within Telegram. Operators evaluating crypto payment partners should assess the licensing footprint and supported payment channels before adding any new fiat-to-crypto provider.
The takeaway
Payment providers are increasingly bundling fiat on-ramps directly into consumer crypto apps, so operators should monitor whether custodial platforms expand their payment licensing beyond the current 19 US Money Transmitter Licenses. Watch for the crypto card and AI tools that Walt's founder, Andrew Rogozov, has outlined as forthcoming.
Further reading
For broader context on how payment providers are reshaping digital asset access, see the Financial Services coverage.
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