While the broader NFT market languished through months of declining sales and diminished enthusiasm, Snoop Dogg managed to orchestrate what can only be described as a digital gold rush on July 10, 2025, when his collaboration with Telegram generated $12 million in revenue within thirty minutes. Nearly one million unique NFTs found buyers in what marked Telegram’s inaugural celebrity digital collectibles partnership—a milestone that speaks volumes about the platform’s ambitious shift toward blockchain integration.
The collectibles themselves reflected Snoop’s unmistakable aesthetic: animated tokens featuring vintage cars, cannabis-themed artwork, digital swag bags, and a cartoon dog that presumably shares the rapper’s laid-back disposition. These weren’t merely static images destined for digital wallets; they functioned as profile flexes within Telegram’s ecosystem and could be exchanged for the platform’s in-app currency, Stars. The utility component addresses one of NFTs’ most persistent criticisms—that they lack practical application beyond speculative trading. Each token possessed a unique digital identifier, ensuring authenticity and ownership verification on the blockchain.
The technical infrastructure underlying this digital feeding frenzy rests on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, originally developed by Telegram before evolving to open-source community management. Minting was scheduled for 21 days post-sale, along with secondary market availability—a timeline that suggests either careful preparation or an acknowledgment that infrastructure requires time to accommodate such overwhelming demand.
Snoop Dogg’s promotional strategy included releasing a themed music video titled “Gifts” alongside a corresponding track, while Telegram CEO Pavel Durov leveraged the platform’s channels to amplify visibility. The collaboration generated substantial social media activity, with fans praising the partnership’s authenticity—though one might question whether authenticity can truly be measured in thirty-minute revenue sprints. The rapper’s crypto credentials stretch back to 2013, when he began accepting Bitcoin for album purchases, establishing him as an early adopter in the digital currency space. His digital empire later expanded to include operating under the Cozomo de Medici alias, where he accumulated a $17 million NFT collection.
The timing proves particularly significant given NFTs’ recent market performance. While digital collectibles struggled globally with declining interest and sales, this celebrity-driven project achieved record-breaking velocity. Whether this represents genuine market revitalization or merely demonstrates star power’s enduring capacity to generate financial frenzies remains unclear.
The rapid sell-out underscores celebrity-driven NFT projects’ financial potential, though it also raises questions about sustainability beyond initial hype cycles. The collaboration effectively transformed Telegram into an unlikely battleground for digital asset supremacy.
