How does Fragment work?
- -Fragment is a free platform which facilitates the transaction of collectibles between users. It supports direct, secure and anonymous sales as well as public auctions where everyone can participate over a period of time. To provide this service transparently, Fragment takes full advantage of TON, a blockchain technology initially developed by Telegram.
-If you have used similar platforms before, go ahead and connect your Telegram account and your TON wallet to Fragment. You can then bid on any available auction, either in the featured list on the homepage or via the search bar at the top.
-If you are not familiar with these terms and don't know where to start, simply follow the handy tutorial available below.
-What is a Collectible?
-A collectible is a unique item (e.g. a username, virtual phone number, etc.) that is permanently recorded on the public TON blockchain as property owned by the holder of the corresponding address. TON offers a free, distributed and secure interface for developers to integrate collectibles into their platforms.
-Once you obtain a collectible, it is yours forever and you are free to show it off, sell it, or take advantage of the features it unlocks. The unique functionalities tied to collectibles will depend on how each platform chooses to support them.
-Fragment is integrated with Telegram usernames – giving users the ability to securely acquire and exchange catchy collectible usernames, as well as convert existing usernames on Telegram into collectibles. Additionally, Fragment allows users to purchase anonymous numbers that can be used to register a Telegram account without tying it to a SIM card.
-Other services are free to integrate collectibles to unlock cross-platform, permanent perks for their users.
-How can I purchase collectibles?
-You can purchase a collectible on Fragment by exchanging it with a special currency called Toncoin – the amount you need will depend on what the current highest bid is, just like any other auction.
-To use this currency you must first create a secure wallet to store it, deposit new funds in it and finally connect it to Fragment.
---If you're running into any issue while following this tutorial, check out the FAQ section below.
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Creating a Wallet
-To create your wallet, simply tap on this link and install the Tonkeeper app with one of the available buttons. Once you have installed it, tap on Get Started > Create New Wallet and follow the instructions on the screen.
-You'll soon be presented with a numbered list of words – this is the equivalent of your password and you must write it down or store it securely. Failure to do so will result in the irreversible loss of your wallet, funds and collectibles.
---With non-custodial wallets like TonKeeper nobody holds the keys to your funds but you. While this is very secure, it also means that if you lose the keys nobody will be able to help you restore them; be sure to back up your credentials.
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Depositing funds
-Once your wallet is ready, you'll have to deposit funds in it. To deposit existing TON stored somewhere else (e.g. from a friend, family, etc.), scan the QR code under the receive button. If you do not own any TON, you will need to buy it.
-A list of reputable platforms which offer this service is available here; some of them may ask for a form of identification – this is to be expected as you will be exchanging funds.
-No matter which platform you pick, be sure to insert your wallet address when you are prompted for one – if you don't insert the correct wallet address, your funds may be lost. For maximum safety, copy-paste your wallet address directly from the app.
-Do not send funds to the address in the screenshots above – they just provide an example of where to look in your own wallet app.
---Don't panic if your new funds don't appear immediately! Transactions usually happen within seconds, but may sometimes take longer. If you still don't see them after 30 minutes, check out the FAQ section below.
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Connecting to Fragment and Telegram
-Once your funds show up in your wallet, open Fragment and use the button in the top-right corner to log in. You will find a Telegram login widget where you can enter your phone number in international format. Other users will not see your Telegram account or phone number, even if you participate in an auction.
-After logging in with Telegram, use the Connect TON button to log in with Tonkeeper. If you're using Fragment from a separate device, simply scan the QR code from your Tonkeeper app; if you're using the same phone, tap the button right below the QR.
---Remember that the Tonkeeper app has a built-in QR scanner in the top-right corner of the screen.
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Bidding TON
-After connecting to Fragment you're all set and ready to bid on any available collectible. To do so, tap on one of the available auctions, enter an amount, confirm it and pay via Tonkeeper – just like you did when you were logging in.
-During bidding, whoever’s bid is first to the blockchain will get the bid at that price. If your bid wasn’t reflected in the blockchain before the auction ends, you will get the money back and lose the bid. Your money will also be returned if somebody else outbids you.
---Usernames listed as Taken are currently in use and not available for sale. However, you can pay a small fee to notify their owner that you are interested in acquiring the name. To do so, search for the username on Fragment, open its page and tap on 'Make an offer'.
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Putting Collectibles Up For Auction
-If you own a collectible, you are free to either sell it directly or auction it to the public at any time. To do so, tap on My Assets and select either Put up for auction or Sell depending on what you want to do.
---If you decide to auction one of your unique items (e.g., usernames, phone numbers, etc.), remember that you can set an optional maximum price which, if paid, will immediately end the auction. Note that collectibles are subject to a 5% platform fee on each transaction.
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Auctioning Basic Usernames
-Any basic username from your Telegram account can be auctioned on Fragment, including those that are linked to your profile, public groups or public channels.
-Interested buyers can place a bid to start an auction at any time – when the auction ends, the basic username will be converted into a collectible and assigned to the winner.
-The original owner of the basic username will earn all proceeds minus applicable fees. They may also try to win the auction themselves to retain ownership of the new collectible.
-Listing your username on Fragment
-If you own a basic username on Telegram and wish to make it available on Fragment, simply:
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- Log in to Fragment with both your Telegram and TON accounts. -
- The TON wallet you've connected will receive the proceeds from the auction, so make sure to connect a wallet that you own. -
- Tap on your TON wallet in the top right corner and choose 'Convert to Collectibles' (or follow the 'Convert Usernames to Collectibles' link in 'My Assets'). -
- Select a username from the list. Note that to prevent abuse, usernames you acquired or reassigned (i.e., moved it from your profile to a channel you own, etc.) very recently may not be immediately available. -
- Set a minimum bid. Buyers will have to pay at least this amount to acquire the collectible. -
After confirming, your username will remain available for auction for an unlimited time – interested buyers, including yourself, can place the first bid to start a 7-day auction.
---While a username is available for auction, you can't reassign it to a different chat or profile (but you can remove it to protect privacy, or restore it in the same place). You can cancel the auction to reassign the username elsewhere.
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Canceling an auction
-You can cancel the auction at any time before the first bid is placed. If you do so, you will keep the basic username and it will not be converted into a collectible.
-After the first bid is placed, the auction can no longer be canceled.
-When the auction ends
-When the auction ends you will earn all proceeds minus applicable fees. The outcome may slightly differ depending on the winner:
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- If someone else wins - The wallet they used to place the highest bid will receive the collectible. All proceeds minus a 5% platform fee and one-time conversion fee will be transferred to the wallet that you connected to Fragment when listing your username. -
- If you win the auction - You will own the collectible, the wallet you used to place the highest bid will receive it. You will also get your winning bid back, minus a 5% platform fee and one-time conversion fee. -
The username will continue to link to the same chat until it is reassigned. Outdated apps may not display it in the info panel – make sure to always update your app to the latest version.
-Using your new collectible
-After receiving a collectible, you can:
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- Assign it on Telegram. Any profile, group or channel can have multiple collectible usernames linking to it. -
- Sell it or start a new auction – without paying a conversion fee. -
- Securely transfer it to another person or wallet for free via the NFT tab in Tonkeeper. -
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Assigning Collectible Usernames to Telegram
-You can assign collectible usernames to your personal Telegram profile or to Telegram public groups and channels you own. Any of these entities can have up to one basic username and any number of collectible usernames – you can also customize the order in which collectibles appear in the chat's info page, or toggle them off entirely.
---You can also upgrade collectible usernames to assign them to Telegram bots. To upgrade, assign the username to a bot and pay a one-time fee.
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Connecting to Fragment
-Before you can assign a username, you must connect both your Telegram account and TON wallet to Fragment. To do so, follow the instructions available here.
-Note that the wallet you are connecting must be the one currently holding your collectible – if you don't see any items in your wallet please check our FAQ.
---Fragment doesn't store any information that could tie your wallet to your Telegram account.
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Assigning your collectible
-Open the My Assets page and tap on 'Assign to Telegram', then select a chat and tap 'Assign' to confirm your choice.
---This choice is not permanent, you can pick another chat at any time.
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Activating your collectible on Telegram
-Once your collectible has been assigned, it will not redirect to your designated chat right away. To activate and list it in the public info page of your chat, you have to manually enable it.
-To do so, follow these simple steps:
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Personal Profile: Settings > Username > Enable and sort the available usernames as needed.
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-Public Group: Open your group settings ( ⋮ Android, '…' iOS ) > Group Type > 'Links order' > Tap on your collectible to enable it.
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-Public Channel: Open your channel settings ⋮ Android, '…' iOS ) > Channel Type > 'Links order' > Tap on your collectible to enable it.
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--Older Telegram clients may not show any username beyond the first on the info page of your chats.
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FAQ
-This is a list of frequently asked questions on Fragment and Telegram collectibles.
-Q: I deposited some money but my wallet is empty, what happened?
-Not to worry, this is likely due to one of the following reasons:
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- You did not wait long enough – most transactions take a few seconds, but some might take 30 minutes or more. -
- You are looking in the wrong place, funds will not appear directly on Fragment, they're only visible in your Tonkeeper wallet. -
- You have selected the wrong wallet within Tonkeeper. One “account” can contain several wallets; to fix this, go to Settings > Active address and try rotating through them until you find the one with your funds. -
- Your transaction didn't go through – check with your bank or credit card, as some may deny unusual purchases automatically. -
Q: Are there any transaction fees?
-Collectibles are subject to a 5% platform fee on each sale (direct sales and the highest bid when an auction ends). Transactions may also be subject to small blockchain fees (~1 Toncoin) that are outside Fragment's control.
-Q: What's the conversion fee?
-Owners of basic usernames can auction them on Fragment – converting the usernames into collectibles. A flat conversion fee of 5 Toncoins is deducted from the proceeds of this initial auction.
---This fee is collected only once. All future sales for a collectible are only subject to the 5% platform fee and necessary blockchain fees.
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Q: I won an auction, how do I use my new collectible?
-Tap on My Assets to see all your collectibles – you can freely sell them, put them up for auction or use them on Telegram.
-Q: Can I transfer my collectible to someone?
-Fragment hosts open sales and auctions of collectibles, but any owner can transfer a collectible to someone else for free via the TON blockchain. For example, the 'NFT' tab in Tonkeeper allows you to transfer collectibles to another wallet.
-Q: Why is the collectible I want marked as unavailable?
-Some collectibles may be reserved and will become available at a later date. Others could have been bought before you.
-Basic Telegram usernames that are currently in use are marked as taken. Fragment lets you make anonymous offers to the username owner, who can choose to make it available for purchase at any time.
-Q: I won an auction but can't see the collectible in my assets. What happened?
-This technology relies on a distributed network, transactions can take some time. Most transactions will only take seconds, but please allow up to 30 minutes for your collectibles to appear.
-Q: I assigned a collectible but can't see it on Telegram, why?
-This is likely due to one of the following reasons:
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- You did not enable the collectible on Telegram – this is not the same as assigning it on Fragment, it's a separate step. -
- You are using an outdated client that doesn't support collectibles - please update your app to version 9.1 or above. -
- You are looking at a cached or outdated menu, please try fully closing and reopening your app. -
Q: Can I assign my upgraded username to a different bot?
-Yes, upgrading a collectible username is permanent. You can freely trade your upgraded collectible or assign it to a different bot – it will never lose its upgraded status even if it changes owners.
-Q: Will I lose my collectibles if I lose my phone/account/session/phone number?
-No, as long as you safely store the backup credentials (i.e. word list) of your TON wallet, your collectibles will always be safe and you can reassign them to a new Telegram account at any time. This is also true for any platform supporting the collectibles.
-Q: Are my collectibles tied to any specific platform?
-No, as long as you safely store the backup credentials (i.e. word list) of your TON wallet, your collectibles will always be safe regardless of which platform you use them on.
-Q: Can I integrate collectibles into my own platform?
-Yes, the TON blockchain is publicly accessible and anyone is free to reference collectibles or use them within their own platform.
-Q: I lost my wallet, can Fragment recover it?
-Fragment is not able to restore wallets as it never stores or comes into contact with private credentials. Wallets are strictly private and it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the recovery keys are properly stored.
-Q: I bought a collectible but now I'd like to buy a better one, can Fragment replace it?
-All purchases are final since ownership is permanently fixed in the blockchain, however, nothing prevents buyers from purchasing multiple collectibles.
-Q: What happens if somebody places a higher bid than me?
-If somebody places a higher bid your Toncoins will be refunded automatically. Funds will normally reappear in your wallet within a few seconds, but this may sometimes take longer due to the nature of the blockchain network.
-Q: I have the highest bid in an active auction but would like to place an even higher bid. Will I lose my funds?
-No, any time someone (including yourself) outbids you, your previous bid will be refunded immediately.
-Q: I sold my collectible but I want it back. Can Fragment revert the transaction?
-Transactions are permanent – this secures your entities but also means that once a purchase is finalized it cannot be undone. Of course, you are free to buy back the collectible from its new owner, if they agree.
-Q: I put my basic username up for auction but I changed my mind, can I take it back?
-You can cancel the auction before the first bid is placed. After the first bid, the auction starts and cannot be canceled.
-Likewise, the conversion of a basic username into a collectible is permanent and cannot be reversed after the first bid is placed.
-Q: I auctioned my basic username and nobody bid on it, why wasn't it assigned to me?
-The collectible was assigned to the wallet that placed the highest bid during the auction. This can be different from the wallet you connected to Fragment. If nobody else participated in the auction, you will find the collectible in the wallet you had connected to Fragment when the username was first made available for auction.
-Q: I own a basic Telegram username but cannot put it up for auction, why?
-When Telegram denies Fragment's request to auction a basic username, it is likely due to one of the following reasons:
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- You did not set up a 2FA password on your Telegram account, or you set it up too recently. -
- You haven't owned that username for a sufficiently long period of time. -
- The username has been recently moved (e.g. from your account to one of your channels, etc.). -
- Telegram has other reasons to believe you might be acting in bad faith. -
Q: How can I log in to Fragment with a different Telegram account?
-To fully disconnect your Telegram account from Fragment and log in with another phone number, simply open your Telegram app and navigate to:
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- Android: Settings > Privacy & Security > Bots and websites > Logged in with Telegram -
- iOS: Settings > Privacy & Security > Active Websites > Logged in with Telegram -
Once there, remove your Fragment session and reopen the website to connect a different Telegram account.
-Anonymous Offers for Basic Usernames
-Q: Can I suggest someone to sell their username on Fragment?
-Fragment allows users to make offers for basic Telegram usernames in exchange for a small fee – all offers are forwarded anonymously from buyer to seller and neither party is made aware of any identifying information (e.g., Telegram id, username, etc.).
---Note that everyone will see which TON wallet made the offer.
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Q: I made an offer for a username marked as ’Taken’. What happens now?
-Making an offer for a username marked as ’Taken’ requires a small non-refundable fee to show that your offer is serious and not meant to bother the username owner. The amount you enter in ‘How much would you pay?’ is not binding and you will not be obligated to pay that price if the name becomes available for auction.
-Following your offer, the owner can make the name available for purchase on Fragment via a public auction – they are free to choose any minimum bid. Anyone will be able to bid for the username, and you are free to participate in the auction to acquire the name.
-Q: Will I be notified if the username becomes available for auction?
-If you were logged in with your Telegram account on Fragment when you made your offer, you will be automatically subscribed to updates about the username.
-If you were not logged in, you can always log in, open the page of the desired username and tap 'Subscribe to updates'.
-Anonymous Numbers
-Q: Can I buy an anonymous number directly from Telegram?
-No, you can only buy numbers which other users are willing to sell.
-Q: Can I use anonymous numbers to receive SMS and phone calls?
-No, anonymous numbers work only on Telegram, they cannot receive regular SMS or phone calls.
-Q: Can an existing Telegram account change its connected phone number to an Anonymous Number?
-Yes, any existing Telegram account can change its number to any anonymous number that is not already connected to a Telegram account.
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