Pavel Durov-founded messaging app Telegram has broken barriers of doubts and expectations after hitting an important financial milestone. This year, it managed to generate over $1 billion in revenue.
It won't be possible without the monetization strategies and of course, a growing user base. From a simple messaging tool, Telegram is truly blessed to be a versatile platform.
Breaking Down Telegram's Revenue Success
Durov recently said Telegram became profitable in 2024, primarily thanks to a premium subscription it started in 2022, which today counts more than 12 million paying subscribers and constitutes a key source of income for the company.
"Over the past four years, Telegram has issued about $2 billion in debt. We repaid a meaningful share of it this Fall, taking advantage of favorable prices for the Telegram bonds. But there's a lot of work ahead," Durov said in a post on X.
Other areas where Telegram diversifies the sources of revenue include Business Features: which provides instruments for enterprises in their communications and Ad Revenue Sharing: through such service, creators are granted a share of their earnings on channels.
Diversification has not only taken Telegram's revenue over $1 billion but also made it a leader in the creator economy of the tech industry.
Excellent Financial Reserves and User Growth
Strong finance accounts play to a healthy bottom line for Telegram; the firm is ending the 2024 year with $500 million in cash available, apart from cryptocurrencies, and its debt bond release of more than $2 billion over four years did not weaken it.
The growing user count of Telegram exceeded 950 million monthly users to remain well-positioned as one of the planet's most active communication platforms.
Pavel Durov had intimated that Telegram was looking to issue an IPO in an earlier interview with the Financial Times. No date has been announced, but its profits and rapid growth make it ready for an IPO.
When Telegram goes public, a lot of new opportunities for expansion and innovation will be opened up through its offerings.
Content Moderation Challenges
The year 2024 wasn't without its challenges. Durov faced legal battles in France for his practices of content moderation in Telegram and for refusing to cooperate with the investigations related to money laundering, drug trafficking, and CSAM.
The company dramatically escalated efforts to prevent harmful content, with AI technology allowing Telegram to take down 15.4 million groups and channels that were spreading illegal or harmful material in 2024 alone.
The steps above speak to the global concerns about Telegram while adhering to its user-centric philosophy.
Telegram's Future Brighter This Time
As Telegram closes out a groundbreaking year, its trajectory ahead is bright. Profitability, growth in user population, and monetization strategies have given the platform an advantage to be at the front of the messaging world.
There is still the need to weigh expansion against regulatory compliance and content moderation. The flexibility of Telegram to adapt to these challenges will determine its long-term sustainability.
Pavel Durov's vision has transformed Telegram into more than just an app—it's now a global powerhouse shaping the future of communication and content monetization.
