How Telegram Makes Money?

Dear Readers

Today Let’s talk about a messenger app that’s been downloaded over a billion times, has no ads (mostly), no annoying pop-ups, no corporate overlords breathing down its neck — and yet, has grown into one of the most influential platforms on the internet.

Yup, we’re talking about Telegram.

You probably use it to follow channels, download a file or two (we won’t ask), or maybe just because WhatsApp went down for an hour. But behind this simple app is a wild story of vision, values, conflict, growth — and now, money.

So today, we’re diving into:

• How Telegram started
  
  

• Its journey through chaos and exile
  
  

• The challenges it faced
  
  

• How it finally started making money
  
  

• And what YOU, as an entrepreneur, should learn from it
  
  

Buckle up. This is not your typical Silicon Valley playbook.

Part 1: How Telegram Started — and Why It Was Built

Let’s rewind to Russia, 2006.

A young, reclusive genius named Pavel Durov launched a social media site called VK — think of it like Russia’s Facebook. It blew up. Durov became a tech rockstar.

But here’s the twist — Pavel wasn’t just about fame. He was obsessed with freedom of speech and privacy.

In 2011–2013, political pressure started mounting in Russia. Authorities wanted access to user data. Durov said “no.” They pushed harder. He refused again.

Eventually, he was forced out of VK, lost control of his company, and left Russia.

That’s when he and his brother Nikolai, a mathematical prodigy, decided to build something new — a platform that governments couldn’t control, that prioritized encryption, and that allowed people to communicate without surveillance or censorship.

And in 2013, Telegram was born.

Part 2: Telegram’s Philosophy — Privacy Over Profit

Telegram’s entire brand is built on one core idea:

“We’re not here to make money from your data. We’re here to protect it.”

This made it instantly popular with:

• Activists
  
  

• Journalists
  
  

• Crypto communities
  
  

• Tech nerds
  
  

• Basically, anyone tired of being watched
  
  

It grew fast — especially in countries where other messaging apps were blocked or monitored.

Fun fact? Telegram’s infrastructure is deliberately spread across multiple jurisdictions so that no one government can shut it down.

Now that’s commitment.

Part 3: Growth Without a Growth Team

Telegram didn’t use paid ads. No influencer campaigns. No shady growth hacks.

It grew because:

• It was faster than WhatsApp
  
  

• It let you send huge files
  
  

• It supported groups of 200,000+ people
  
  

• It had channels before it was cool
  
  

• And most of all — it worked when others didn’t
  
  

When WhatsApp went down? Telegram’s downloads spiked.

When a country banned something? Telegram users found their way in.

They built for utility, not vanity. And users came because it just worked better.

Part 4: Okay… But How Did They Survive Without Revenue?

For years, Telegram didn’t make a single dollar.

So how did they fund servers for millions (now billions) of users?

Pavel Durov paid for it himself. Out of his VK exit and crypto holdings.

But by 2021, Telegram was approaching 500 million users and burning through cash.

Durov wrote in a public post:

“Telegram needs to start monetizing… but in a way that stays true to our values.”

And so, the monetization phase began.

Part 5: Telegram’s Business Model — How It Makes Money Now

Telegram’s revenue strategy is non-traditional, but smart. Here’s how they’re doing it:

1. Telegram Premium (Subscription)

In 2022, Telegram launched Telegram Premium.

What you get:

• 4 GB file uploads (vs. 2 GB free)
  
  

• Faster downloads
  
  

• Voice-to-text conversion
  
  

• Premium stickers, reactions
  
  

• No ads in public channels
  
  

Cost: Around $5/month, depending on your region.

And guess what?

Even without forcing anyone, millions of users have subscribed — because it feels like support, not a trap.

2.  Sponsored Messages (Ads, But Different)

Telegram introduced ads in public one-to-many channels with over 1,000 subscribers.

Here’s the twist:

• They don’t use user data
  
  

• Ads are shown based on channel topic, not your identity
  
  

• Creators can earn from the revenue
  
  

  It’s an ethical ad model — and businesses have started embracing it, especially in crypto and finance.

3.  TON Blockchain & Telegram Mini Apps

Telegram had tried launching its own cryptocurrency called GRAM — but the SEC blocked it in 2020.

So they pivoted. Now, they support TON (The Open Network) — a blockchain project built by the community.

Telegram recently introduced Mini Apps — lightweight apps inside Telegram, powered by TON.

Think: payments, games, utilities — all within Telegram. Telegram plans to take a small cut from these in-app economies, like Apple does with the App Store.

It’s a long-term play. But with a billion users? It could be huge.

4.  Custom Features for Businesses & Communities

Telegram is slowly becoming the backend for digital communities — with:

• Bots
  
  

• Payment integrations
  
  

• Admin tools
  
  

• Pay-to-access channels
  
  

  While most are free now, Telegram could introduce advanced features for businesses down the line.

  Think: Slack meets WhatsApp meets Patreon, all rolled into one.

Part 6: Telegram’s Biggest Challenges

Telegram’s journey hasn’t been smooth. Some of the major hurdles:

1.  Being misunderstood

Governments often accuse Telegram of being a haven for extremists or illegal content. Telegram argues it’s just a neutral platform — like email or the internet itself.

Balancing freedom and regulation is tricky.

2.  No VC money, no cushion

Telegram avoided big investors to stay independent. That also means they couldn’t burn VC money like other unicorns. Every decision had to be sustainable.

3.  Monetisation without betrayal

Telegram’s whole identity is “not-for-profit-feeling.” Monetizing without feeling “corporate” was — and still is — a tough balance.

Part 7: Entrepreneurial Lessons from Telegram