Can’t withdraw your Telegram Stars? Here’s why
If Telegram won’t let you withdraw your Stars, it’s almost always one of three things: they’re not unlocked yet, you’re in the security wait, or they’re the wrong Stars. Here’s how to tell which one, and what to do. New to cashing out? Start with how to withdraw Telegram Stars, step by step.
Not unlocked yet
Each Star unlocks 21 days after you earn it, and you need at least 1,000 available Stars to withdraw.
The security wait
Two-step verification must have been on for 7 days, and you must have been logged in on that device for 24 hours.
The wrong Stars
Stars you bought can’t be cashed out. Only earned Stars can, and only the owner of the bot or channel can withdraw them.
Reason 1: your Stars aren’t unlocked yet
Every Star you earn is held for 21 days from the moment you receive it. Your balance shows two numbers: the total balance (everything you’ve earned) and the available balance (Stars that have finished their 21 days). Only the available balance can be withdrawn.
You also need at least 1,000 available Stars (about $13) to start a withdrawal. Below that, Telegram shows “You cannot withdraw less than 1,000 stars.” It doesn’t matter how big your total is: Stars still in their 21 days don’t count.
Reason 2: the security wait (“Security Check”)
If Telegram shows a Security Check that ends with “Please come back later”, it’s protecting your balance. The app spells out the two conditions: withdrawals are available if “2-Step verification was enabled for your account more than 7 days ago” and “You have logged in on this device more than 24 hours ago.”
If two-step verification is off, the same box offers to turn it on. Do it, but remember the clock starts then: turn it on today and you can withdraw in 7 days.
Turn on two-step verification now
Go to Settings → Privacy and Security → Two-Step Verification and set a password. Do it well before you need to cash out.
Withdraw from a device you’ve used for a while
Use a phone or computer that has been logged in to your account for more than 24 hours, not one you just signed in on.
Don’t change your password right before cashing out
Changing or resetting your two-step verification password can restart the wait. If you’ve forgotten it, recover it with your recovery email.
Reason 3: they’re the wrong Stars
Telegram keeps separate balances, and only one kind can be turned into money:
Bought Stars can’t be withdrawn. Stars you bought for yourself sit in your personal balance, and they’re only for spending inside Telegram.
Earned Stars can. Stars fans paid to your bot or channel live on that bot’s or channel’s own balance. Open that balance to withdraw, not your personal “My Stars”.
Only the owner can withdraw. Admins may see the balance, but the withdrawal has to come from the account that owns the bot (the one that created it in @BotFather) or the channel.
Still stuck? Check these
Turn off your VPN. A VPN or proxy can block the withdrawal or Fragment’s checks. Switch to your normal connection and try again.
Your wallet isn’t available where you live? Telegram’s built-in wallet, now called Walt (formerly Wallet), isn’t offered in many countries, including the US, the UK, most of the EU, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines and Egypt. Use Tonkeeper or MyTonWallet instead. Fragment connects to them in one tap.
Fragment asks for ID? Fragment may ask you to verify your identity with a photo of your ID and a selfie. Use a real, valid document, take the photos in good light, and keep your VPN off.
Your wallet won’t connect on Fragment? Disconnect and reconnect it, and check that the right wallet is active in the wallet app.
More withdrawal problems, and how to fix them
Seeing something else? Find your symptom:
- “Next withdrawal will be available in…”
- There’s a waiting time between withdrawals. Nothing is wrong: wait for the timer, then withdraw again.
- There’s no Withdraw button at all
- Telegram has switched withdrawals off for your account, channel or region. Check you’re the owner and using an official app. If it’s still missing, you can spend your Stars on Telegram Ads for that bot or channel instead: each Star buys $0.02 of ad credit, against about $0.013 in cash. The same 21-day hold applies, and your ads must follow Telegram’s ad policies.
- You’re an admin, not the owner
- Only the owner can withdraw. Log in as the account that created the bot in @BotFather, or that owns the channel.
- Your balance went down
- Refunds and chargebacks come out of your balance: if a buyer gets their money back from Apple or Google, Telegram takes those Stars back. Check your transaction list for refunds.
- Old Stars disappeared
- Earned Stars are valid for 3 years from the day you receive them, then they expire. Withdraw them, or spend them on ads, before then.
- “An error occurred”, or no withdraw option at all in Telegram Web or another app
- Update Telegram and use the official app for iPhone, Android or desktop. Telegram Web and third-party apps may not support withdrawals.
- Your Gram didn’t arrive
- Look up your wallet address on tonviewer.com to see the transfer. Sending to an exchange? Include its memo (or tag), or the deposit can go missing. Withdrawals can’t be reversed, so double-check the address. The safest route is your own wallet first, then the exchange.
- Your exchange doesn’t list TON anymore
- Toncoin was renamed Gram (GRAM) in June 2026, and exchanges switched their TON markets to GRAM. Search for GRAM (sometimes shown as “prev. Toncoin”) and deposit on the TON network.
- You got “GRAM” tokens you didn’t expect
- Fake GRAM tokens get sent to wallets to lure people into scams. Real Gram arrives as a normal transfer, not as a separate token. Ignore tokens you didn’t ask for, and don’t follow their links.
Three myths about withdrawing Stars
“Move your channel’s Stars to your own account first.” False. There’s no such step. Withdraw straight from the channel or bot balance.
“Telegram takes 15–30% when you withdraw.” False. That’s the app stores’ share of what fans pay, and it’s already built into the payout of about $0.013 per Star. Telegram doesn’t add a withdrawal fee on top.
“You can withdraw from 10 Stars.” False. Telegram’s minimum is 1,000 Stars per withdrawal. Sites that promise less are buying your Stars, not withdrawing them.
Stay safe: withdrawal scams
No bot can withdraw “without verification” or “without the 21 days”. Offers to skip the checks or buy your Stars early are scams, and selling Stars that way breaks Telegram’s rules.
Only use fragment.com, reached from your own Withdraw button. Fake Fragment sites, often opened from a bot or a DM, can empty your wallet.
Support never messages you first, and never asks for your login code, your two-step verification password or your wallet’s recovery phrase.
“Migrate your TON to GRAM” is a scam. The rename needed nothing from you: same coin, same wallet, same balance.
Telegram Stars withdrawal problems FAQ
Why can’t I withdraw my Telegram Stars?
It’s almost always one of three things. Your Stars aren’t unlocked yet (each Star unlocks 21 days after you earn it, and you need 1,000 available). You’re in the security wait (two-step verification must have been on for 7 days, and you must have been logged in on that device for 24 hours). Or they’re the wrong Stars: bought Stars can’t be withdrawn, and only the owner of the bot or channel can withdraw earned ones.
Why is the Withdraw button greyed out or missing?
Greyed out usually means you have fewer than 1,000 available Stars, because the rest are still in their 21-day hold. If there’s no button at all, check that you’re the owner and using an official Telegram app. If it’s still missing, Telegram has switched withdrawals off for your account, channel or region.
What does “Security Check… Please come back later” mean?
Telegram only allows withdrawals once two-step verification has been on for more than 7 days, and you’ve been logged in on that device for more than 24 hours. Wait until both are true, then try again.
I just turned on two-step verification. How long until I can withdraw?
7 days. You also need to withdraw from a device you’ve been logged in on for more than 24 hours. Avoid changing your password just before you cash out, because that can restart the wait.
Why is my available balance lower than my total balance?
Each Star is held for 21 days after you earn it. The total balance includes Stars still in their hold; the available balance is what you can withdraw now.
Can I withdraw fewer than 1,000 Stars?
No. The minimum is 1,000 available Stars per withdrawal (about $13). Keep selling, and withdraw once you reach it.
What does “Next withdrawal will be available in…” mean?
There’s a waiting time between withdrawals. Wait for the timer to run out, then withdraw again.
Can I withdraw Stars I bought, or move channel Stars to my account?
You can’t withdraw Stars you bought: they’re for spending inside Telegram. Earned Stars don’t need moving: withdraw them straight from the bot’s or channel’s balance, as the owner.
Does Fragment require ID verification to withdraw?
Fragment may ask you to verify your identity with an ID document and a selfie. If it fails, try again with a real, valid document, good light and your VPN off. Never pay anyone for a “verified” Fragment account.
My wallet says it’s not available in my country. What now?
Telegram’s built-in wallet, now called Walt (formerly Wallet), isn’t offered in many countries. Use Tonkeeper or MyTonWallet instead. Fragment connects to them the same way.
Can I withdraw with a VPN on?
Turn it off. A VPN or proxy can block the withdrawal or Fragment’s checks, so withdraw on your normal connection.
Is there a bot that withdraws Stars without verification?
No. Every real withdrawal goes through your own Withdraw button and fragment.com. Bots or sellers that promise to skip the checks or the 21 days are scams.
Selling videos on Telegram?
NyxasBot runs your video store inside your own Telegram bot. Fans pay with one tap, and the Stars land in your own bot’s balance, so you withdraw them yourself, exactly as above. It’s free to create, with a 5% fee on sales.
Keep reading
Rules, limits and availability are set by Telegram, Fragment and your wallet or exchange, and can change. This page is general information, not financial advice.