Tonkeeper is the best-known non-custodial wallet for the TON blockchain, which is closely tied to the Telegram ecosystem. Millions of people use it to hold Toncoin and USDT, connect to mini apps and dApps, buy NFT usernames and stake coins. In September 2026 the wallet was renamed Keeper and became a multichain app: alongside TON it now supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, TRON, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum and Base.
This Tonkeeper (Keeper) review is for people choosing a TON wallet for the first time and for long-time users who want to understand what changed after the rebrand and the renaming of Toncoin to Gram. We cover features, fees, security, strengths and weaknesses without marketing hype.
You will learn how the wallet works, what Battery and gasless transfers are, how to send coins to exchanges with a comment correctly, how to install and secure Keeper, and who it suits better than the alternatives.
- What is Tonkeeper
- The Keeper rebrand and TON becoming Gram
- Supported networks and assets
- Key features
- Fees and Battery
- Wallet security
- How to install and set up Keeper
- Sending to exchanges: why the comment matters
- Pros and cons
- Who Keeper is for
- Keeper vs alternatives
- FAQ
- Conclusion
- Sources
What is Tonkeeper
Tonkeeper launched in 2021 as a non-custodial wallet for The Open Network (TON). Its co-founders are named as Oleg Andreev and Oleg Illarionov. Private keys are created and stored on the user’s device, and access is restored with a 24-word secret phrase. The company cannot freeze your funds or recover access for you; it is the classic self-custody model.
The wallet quickly became the de facto standard of the TON ecosystem. Most dApps, Telegram mini apps, NFT marketplaces and DeFi protocols on TON support connecting via TON Connect, the protocol a wallet uses to link to an app and sign transactions. Tonkeeper was one of the first wallets to support it.
It is important to distinguish Tonkeeper from the Wallet service built into Telegram. The custodial part of Wallet holds funds on the service side, while Tonkeeper (Keeper) is self-custody where only you hold the keys. For more on the ecosystem and the coin, see our Toncoin review.
The Keeper rebrand and TON becoming Gram
Two notable changes hit the ecosystem in 2026. The first was the coin rename: following a community vote, TON’s native token has been called Gram since 15 June 2026, and the ticker changed from TON to GRAM. The network is still called The Open Network, and balances, addresses and smart contracts did not change: coins are shown at a 1:1 ratio and nothing needs converting. Some exchanges and services are updating the ticker gradually, so you may still see TON.
The second was the wallet rebrand. On 15 September 2026 Tonkeeper announced its new name, Keeper, and support for six new networks. According to the team, nothing changes for existing users: same wallet, same keys and same recovery phrase, and the new networks can be switched on in a few taps. Industry media report that day-to-day control of the product passed to The Open Platform, the company behind Wallet in Telegram, while the co-founders kept equity.
The Keeper team has also announced plans for the coming year: cross-chain swaps, DeFi features, spending tools, loyalty programs and perpetual futures trading. No dates were given, so judge the wallet by the features available today.
Supported networks and assets
After the rebrand, Keeper supports seven networks. The wallet has historically been most polished for TON, while the other networks are new additions, so their feature sets may differ.
| Network | Main assets | Address format | What Keeper offers |
|---|---|---|---|
| TON | GRAM (formerly TON), USDT, jettons, NFTs | UQ… / EQ… | Full functionality, TON Connect, staking, Battery |
| TRON | USDT TRC-20, TRX | T… | USDT transfers with fees paid via Battery |
| Bitcoin | BTC | bc1… | Storage and transfers |
| Ethereum | ETH, ERC-20 tokens | 0x… | Storage and transfers |
| BNB Smart Chain | BNB, BEP-20 tokens | 0x… | Storage and transfers |
| Arbitrum, Base | ETH, L2 tokens | 0x… | Storage and transfers |
On TON, tokens are called jettons, the equivalent of ERC-20. USDT on TON is also a jetton and must not be confused with USDT on TRON or Ethereum: sender and recipient must use the same network.
Key features
Battery and gasless transfers
The signature feature is Battery. It lets you pay network fees without holding the network’s native coin. You charge the Battery with stablecoins or an in-app purchase, and it then covers fees for transfers, swaps and NFT operations. On TON this relies on version 5 of the wallet smart contract (W5), which supports gasless transactions where the fee is paid in the token you send, such as USDT. On TRON, Battery lets you send USDT without buying TRX. The team plans to extend Battery to all supported networks.
TON Connect and dApps
Through TON Connect, Keeper links to DEXs, NFT marketplaces, games and Telegram mini apps. Before you sign, the wallet shows which assets and how much will be debited. Read this screen carefully: phishing dApps exist on TON just as on other networks.
Staking
The wallet offers staking of the network’s coin through pools and liquid staking protocols such as Tonstakers. Yields are not fixed and depend on network parameters and the chosen pool, and some pools have withdrawal periods. We explain staking in general in what staking is and how it works.
NFTs, swaps and cold storage
Keeper displays NFTs, including Telegram anonymous numbers and usernames, and the built-in swap trades tokens via TON ecosystem DEXs. For extra security the wallet works with Ledger and Keystone hardware devices and with the separate Signer app, which keeps the key on another device, including an offline one. Besides the mobile apps, there are desktop and web versions and a Chrome extension.
Fees and Battery
Downloading and basic use of the wallet are free. Costs come from several sources:
- Network fee. On TON it is usually small but depends on the complexity of the operation: a jetton transfer costs more than a native coin transfer, and complex contract interactions cost more still.
- Battery cost. Charging the Battery is essentially prepaying fees. The conversion rate and cost per operation are shown in the app and can change. Convenience has a price: in some cases paying via Battery costs more than paying directly with the native coin.
- Swaps and purchases. DEX swaps involve protocol fees and slippage, and buying crypto with fiat includes the payment provider’s markup.
Practical tip: keep a small balance of the network’s native coin as “reserve gas” and use Battery when it is genuinely more convenient.
Wallet security
Keeper is a hot wallet: keys live on your phone or computer and are protected by a password, PIN and biometrics. The most valuable thing is the 24-word secret phrase. Anyone who obtains it can withdraw all funds. Storage rules are covered in detail in seed phrase: what it is and how to store it safely.
The source code of Tonkeeper’s client apps is published on GitHub, so independent developers can review it. For larger sums it is wise to use Ledger, Keystone or Signer on a separate device, so the key does not live on the phone you use every day.
The main risks on TON come not from wallet hacks but from scams: fake mini apps and Telegram bots, token “giveaways”, fake jettons named USDT and phishing requests via TON Connect. Always check the token contract address in a block explorer such as Tonviewer and never sign a transaction you do not understand. Be especially careful after the rebrand: scammers may publish fake “Keeper” or “Tonkeeper” apps. Download the wallet only via links on the official website.
How to install and set up Keeper
- Download the app via the link on the official site, keeperwallet.com (tonkeeper.com redirects there). In app stores, check the developer name and the number of reviews.
- Choose “Create new wallet”, or import an existing one with your phrase if you already used Tonkeeper; balances are preserved.
- Set a passcode and enable biometrics.
- Write the 24 words on paper in the correct order and store them offline. No screenshots or cloud notes.
- Confirm the phrase by selecting the words in order.
- Enable the networks you need (TON, TRON, Bitcoin, EVM networks) in the wallet settings.
- Fund the native coin or the Battery so you can pay fees.
- Send a small test transfer before moving your main funds.
To start using the wallet you need coins. You can exchange stablecoins or other crypto for TON (GRAM) on RubyCash without registration and receive them straight to your Keeper address. The reverse scenario is covered in how to exchange TON to USDT.
Exchange USDT to TON
Sending to exchanges: why the comment matters
Many exchanges and services use one shared address for TON deposits and identify which user a transfer belongs to by its comment (memo). If you send coins without a comment or with a typo, the funds reach the exchange but are not credited to your account automatically, and you will have to contact support.
So when withdrawing from Keeper to an exchange, always copy both the address and the comment from the deposit page and paste the comment into the matching field. If the service says no comment is needed, leave the field empty. Learn more about memos, tags and Destination Tags in memo, tag and Destination Tag: why you need them.
Pros and cons
Advantages:
- Best-in-class compatibility with the TON ecosystem, TON Connect and Telegram mini apps.
- Battery and gasless USDT transfers on TON and TRON.
- Non-custodial model with no registration or KYC.
- Support for Ledger, Keystone and the Signer app for cold storage.
- Mobile, desktop and web versions plus a browser extension.
- After the rebrand: Bitcoin, Ethereum, TRON and other networks in one app.
Disadvantages:
- Support for the new networks is basic for now, and some features are only announced.
- Paying fees via Battery is not always cheaper than paying directly.
- The change of name and ownership creates room for fake apps.
- It is a hot wallet: large sums call for a hardware wallet or Signer.
- The TON ecosystem is full of phishing bots and fake tokens.
Who Keeper is for
Keeper is the obvious choice for people who actively use the TON and Telegram ecosystem: mini apps, NFT usernames, DEXs and TON staking. It is also handy for users who frequently send USDT on TON or TRON and do not want to buy a fee coin every time. After the rebrand it also works for people who want BTC and ETH in the same app.
It is a weaker fit for active Ethereum DeFi users who need deep EVM protocol support, where specialised wallets are still more convenient. For long-term storage of large sums, a hardware device is the better option.
Keeper vs alternatives
| Option | Custody type | Main strength | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keeper (Tonkeeper) | Non-custodial, hot | TON ecosystem, Battery, TON Connect | Active TON and Telegram users |
| Wallet in Telegram (custodial part) | Custodial | Maximum simplicity inside the messenger | Beginners, small amounts |
| Keeper + Ledger or Signer | Non-custodial, cold key | Key isolated from your everyday phone | Larger TON holdings |
| General multichain wallets | Non-custodial, hot | Wide choice of networks | Users for whom TON is one network among many |
FAQ
Yes. In September 2026 Tonkeeper was renamed Keeper and added support for new networks. Existing users keep the same keys, recovery phrase and balances.
Since 15 June 2026 the native coin of the TON network has been called Gram, with the ticker GRAM. Balances were converted 1:1 automatically, addresses and contracts did not change, and nothing needs converting. The network is still called The Open Network.
No. The wallet is non-custodial and needs no email, phone number or documents. Only third-party providers may request verification when you buy crypto with fiat.
Battery is a feature that pays network fees for you. You charge it in advance with stablecoins or an in-app purchase and can then send USDT and other tokens without holding the network’s native coin.
The most common cause is a missing or incorrect comment (memo). The exchange received the coins at its shared address but could not identify your account. Contact the exchange’s support with the transaction hash.
Yes, the wallet supports Ledger and Keystone, as well as the Signer app that keeps the key on a separate device. This is a sensible choice for larger sums.
No. Keeper does not store your keys and cannot reset access. If the phrase is lost and the device is unavailable, the funds cannot be recovered.
Check the jetton contract address in a block explorer and compare it with Tether’s official sources. The wallet marks verified tokens, and suspicious ones may be hidden as spam. The name USDT alone guarantees nothing.
Conclusion
Tonkeeper, now Keeper, remains the main wallet of the TON ecosystem: top support for TON Connect and Telegram mini apps, a convenient Battery for gasless USDT transfers, staking, NFTs and compatibility with Ledger, Keystone and Signer. The rebrand added Bitcoin, Ethereum, TRON and other networks while keeping existing users’ keys and balances.
That said, the new networks are supported at a basic level for now, many features are only announced, and the change of name and ownership calls for extra vigilance against fake apps. Remember the coin rename to GRAM as well: some platforms still show the old TON ticker.
Use Keeper for everyday TON and USDT activity, keep large sums behind hardware protection, download the app only from the official site and always inсlude the comment when sending to exchanges.