Telegram, the instant messaging app that rivals WhatsApp,was created in 2013 and is about to surpass 500 million users worldwide (WhatsApp has 2 billion).
In these more than 7 years of existence, Telegram - like its rival - has not earned advertising revenue. However, just as WhatsApp seems to finally start monetizing the service in 2021 - after announcing and postponing itthis year – showing advertising in the states,Telegram is also ready to monetize the instant messaging app.
This has been confirmed by its founder, Pavel Durov. He says a project of this size, with nearly 500 million users, "needs at least a few hundred million dollars a year to move forward."
In this sense, Telegram will launch its own advertising platform next year to include advertisements,in principle, only on Telegram channels. "It will be very easy to use, respect privacy and allow us to cover server costs and traffic," the manager acknowledges. According to Durov, channel owners with many users on Telegram will receive free traffic if the company manages to monetize the service.
In addition to displaying advertising on channels, Telegram also plans other ways to make money. For example, encouraging the creation of paid stickers and sharing some of the revenue they earn with developers who have devised them.
Telegram had an earlier project to earn revenue through its own cryptocurrency. However, the idea was dismissed last May after having worked on the release for months.