Suspension Details
- Effective date: June 2, 2026
- Scope: ETB P2P ads removed; no new ETB listings allowed
- Wallet app: Still operational in Ethiopia
- Pending trades: Transactions initiated before June 2 completed normally
Telegram Wallet Ends ETB P2P Trading
On May 29, 2026, Wallet — the cryptocurrency platform integrated within the Telegram messaging app — announced it would terminate all Peer-to-Peer (P2P) trading services involving the Ethiopian Birr (ETB). The suspension took effect on June 2, 2026.
Following the deadline, all active P2P advertisements denominated in ETB were automatically removed from the interface. Users were completely restricted from posting any new buy or sell advertisements involving the local currency, effectively freezing Telegram Wallet's fiat-to-crypto gateway in Ethiopia.
The Short-Lived Amharic Expansion
In an interesting twist, Telegram Wallet had introduced Amharic language support in mid-May 2026 — just days after Binance suspended ETB P2P trading. The move was widely interpreted as an effort to capture Ethiopian users displaced by larger exchange exits.
However, the expansion proved short-lived. Less than two weeks after adding Amharic support, Wallet announced the ETB P2P suspension — suggesting that regulatory pressure from the NBE outweighed the market opportunity.
What Telegram Wallet Users Can Still Do
Despite removing ETB P2P support, Telegram Wallet has not been shut down in Ethiopia. Users can still:
- Hold cryptocurrencies (BTC, USDT, TON, and others)
- Send and receive crypto to other Wallet users
- Use the app with full Amharic language support
- Access non-ETB features of the Wallet platform
The change only affects ETB-based P2P trading — meaning users can no longer buy or sell crypto using Ethiopian Birr through Telegram Wallet's marketplace.
Broader Context: All Major Platforms Exit ETB P2P
Telegram Wallet joins a growing list of international platforms that have exited the Ethiopian Birr P2P market in 2026:
- Binance — ETB P2P suspended May 15, 2026
- OKX, Bybit, Bitget — ETB P2P removed around the same period
- Telegram Wallet — ETB P2P suspended June 2, 2026
With Telegram Wallet's departure, Ethiopia's informal crypto access channels have been severely narrowed. The platform was particularly popular because it combined messaging and crypto in a single app — making it one of the most accessible entry points for retail crypto trading in the country.
Impact on ETB Exchange Rates
P2P crypto platforms historically influenced unofficial ETB pricing, as USDT/Birr spreads functioned as proxy exchange rates. With all major platforms now out of the ETB P2P market, rate discovery has shifted back to traditional parallel market channels.
Track current rates on our exchange rates page and P2P market tracker for the latest ETB pricing data.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Cryptocurrency and foreign exchange regulations in Ethiopia are subject to change. Always verify current rules with official sources.