Bitcoin’s bull run so far this year, which has seen the bitcoin price climb some 200% since January, has been largely put down to some of the world’s biggest technology companies taking an interest in bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
The bitcoin price has plateaued at around $10,000 as bitcoin traders and investors fret global regulators might scotch social media giant Facebook’s plans for its own bitcoin rival, seen by some as a tacit endorsement of bitcoin and its underlying technology.
Now, crypto trading is coming to Telegram, a messaging app which boasts more than 300 million users around the world, via bitcoin and cryptocurrency wallet provider Button Wallet.
“Cryptos’ biggest obstacle is mass adoption and what we’ve created will help people comfortable with trading cryptocurrency without using real money,” said Alex Safonov, co-founder and chief executive of Button Wallet.
Button Wallet has today unveiled what it claims is the first free cryptocurrency testing playground on the Telegram Open Network and is giving away a small number of Telegram’s gram cryptocurreny to encourage adoption.
Any Telegram user can activate Button’s Telegram Open Network wallet and receive the 6.6 testnet grams on the account. Button Wallet supports bitcoin, ethereum, and litecoin, amongst others.
“With all the fanfare surrounding Facebook’s libra digital currency, there hasn’t been a way to explore digital assets without risk, until now with Button Wallet and the Telegram Open Network,” Safonov added.