## Khabib raises $4.35 million with 29,000 NFTs on Telegram

The crypto community had a major movement over the weekend: 29,000 digital "papakhas" of the legendary fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov were sold via Telegram in a sale process that ran for 290 stages. Each digital asset sold for an average of approximately 10,100 "stars" — which corresponds to about 103 Toncoin (TON). With the current TON price around $1.53, the total amount raised exceeds US$ 4.35 million.

### How the sale worked

The auction took place on Sunday, November 23, using a round system with each round lasting five minutes. The mechanics were quite simple: Telegram users could place their bids in "stars" — the app's native currency — or choose Toncoin. Once acquired, these collectibles can be exchanged for cryptocurrencies or resold as NFTs on external marketplaces, ensuring liquidity for buyers.

### The context behind the digital assets

Pavel Durov, creator of Telegram, positioned these assets as "NFTs with social significance" — that is, pieces that transcend purely speculative aspects. The idea is that the value lies both in cultural memory (who doesn't know Khabib?) and in the technological innovation behind them. The choice to use the TON network reflects the platform's ongoing commitment to strengthen its own blockchain ecosystem, creating real use cases for the token.

For the crypto market, this initiative represents another bridge between celebrities and digital assets — a segment that continues to expand.