I recently came across a story that made me seriously think about where we store our crypto. Russian activists were blacklisted, and their funds in the built-in Telegram wallet simply disappeared. Without warning, without explanations, without the possibility of appeal. Just frozen and that's all.

Many believe that a wallet in Telegram is a safe alternative to banks. At least here, it's decentralized. But that's an illusion. In reality, there’s nothing decentralized about it. Everything is managed by the company The Open Platform, an independent organization. They hold your keys, they decide who gets access and who doesn’t.

Here's the point: a wallet in Telegram is a custodial service. You do not control the private keys; the company does. If the government demands to freeze the account, they will freeze it. If the management decides to do it for any other reason, they can also do so. It happened once with activists, so it can happen to anyone.

It's not only about political repression, although that’s a worrying sign. The real issue is that you are completely dependent on the company's decisions. Your money isn’t yours as long as it’s stored there. It’s just an illusion of ownership.

If you truly need financial freedom, you shouldn’t trust custodial services like the Telegram wallet. There are alternatives where you have full control over your funds. Tonkeeper, Trust Wallet, MetaMask, and similar non-custodial wallets give you real control. Only you see your keys, only you decide what to do with them.

Remember the main rule of the crypto community: not your keys, not your coins. It’s not just a phrase; it’s a life stance in the world of cryptocurrencies.