MESSAGING: Telegram boss assures us that “all features currently free will remain free” and that the messaging service will remain ad-free
Changes, but no revolution? The popular encrypted messaging program, Telegram will launch paid services from 2021 to finance its growth, after the failure of its fundraising and its virtual currency project, its boss announced on Wednesday.
“Telegram will start generating revenue from next year,” through new paid services and an advertising platform, Pavel Durov, Russian co-founder of the Telegram messaging, said on his Telegram channel. He assured that this would be done “in a non-intrusive manner” and that “most users will hardly notice any changes”.
A premium paid service
Monetization will be achieved through the introduction of paid services for “premium users”, such as companies using Telegram for business purposes. Pavel Durov noted that some Telegram channels (which are more akin to blogs or a Twitter thread) followed by millions of people are already advertising.
Telegram therefore now wishes to introduce its own advertising platform for this type of advertisement, providing for remuneration for those who manage the channels in question. The Telegram boss assures us that “all features currently free will remain so” and that the messaging service will remain ad-free.
Telegram approaching 500 million active users, Pavel Durov says the group “needs at least a few hundred million dollars a year to keep going”, indicating to have paid most of the expenses out of his own pocket. of the company.
Telegram sale not under consideration
Pavel Durov made his fortune by creating VKontakte, the most popular social network in Russia, before being dismissed, according to him, by his associates to allow the Russian authorities to take de facto control. “With its current growth, Telegram is on track to reach billions of users and needs appropriate funding,” adds Pavel Durov.
He also swept the option of selling the company, “like the founders of Whatsapp”, a competing messaging system often criticized by Pavel Durov, who has repeatedly pointed to security vulnerabilities. In May, Telegram announced the end of its ambitious virtual currency and payment system project following a protracted standoff with the U.S. Markets Constable (SEC). Telegram had raised a record $ 1.7 billion from 200 private investors in a massive cryptocurrency fundraiser (ICO). The SEC had taken the matter to justice on the grounds that Telegram had not registered its offer and its conditions with the gendarme of the markets.
