Telegram already has over 1 billion registered users

Pavel Durov said that Telegram has become the second most popular messenger in the world, with a monthly audience of one billion active users.

In his statement, he does not take into account the Chinese WeChat, noting that his messenger is second only to WhatsApp in terms of the number of users. Durov calls the competitor a “pathetic copy”, emphasizing that WhatsApp developers have been trying to recreate Telegram’s functions for many years, spending significant resources on lobbying and marketing, but this has not slowed down the development of his platform.

According to him, Telegram made a profit of $547 million in 2024. He also cites data on user activity: on average, a person opens the application 21 times a day, and the total time spent in the messenger is 41 minutes daily.

The other day it became known that Durov returned to Dubai after a long stay in France. In that country, local law enforcement agencies detained him and charged him with Telegram activities, including distributing banned materials and aiding terrorist organizations.

At the same time, Telegram remains one of the key tools for receiving news among Ukrainians. According to data, about 73% of the population uses this messenger to access information, although this figure has increased by only 1% over the past year.

It is known that Durov announced updates to the platform aimed at combating illegal activity. As he noted, the search in Telegram allows users to find public channels and bots, which made the messenger a more powerful tool than other platforms. However, this functionality was abused by those who violated the rules by selling illegal goods.

Telegram updated its Terms of Use and Privacy Policy to combat violations more effectively. Now, in the event of “legitimate requests from law enforcement agencies,” the platform can provide IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate the rules. It should also be noted that in this way the owners of the messenger have essentially officially declared that they will disclose user data upon request from the KGB, FSB, and law enforcement agencies.

Recall that a month ago, the owner of Telegram, Pavel Durov, was detained in France and interrogated on 12 counts. Investigators believe that Pavel Durov’s refusal to cooperate with law enforcement and providing Telegram tools that could be used for illegal activities make him an accomplice in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud. The publication also notes that Durov is due to appear before an investigating judge on Sunday, where he could be charged with a number of serious crimes.

Durov generally avoids traveling to Europe, aware of the possible charges. He is currently in custody and could face serious charges, including terrorism and money laundering, in the near future.