Telegram has become a powerhouse in the messaging world, crossing 1 billion monthly active users (MAUs) in 2025.
Its emphasis on speed, privacy, large group chats and versatile tools has made it a preferred platform for individuals, businesses and communities alike.
This guide explores Telegram’s user‑base, growth trajectory, revenue streams, demographics and features — and shows you how to leverage it whether you’re a marketer, creator or casual user.
Telegram’s User Statistics: A Snapshot
- Monthly Active Users (MAU): 1 billion (2025)
- Daily Active Users (DAU): 500 million
- Premium Subscribers: 15 million
- Daily New Users: ~2.5 million
- Average Time Spent Monthly: 4 hours 25 minutes
- Global Rank (Messaging Apps): 4th
- In‑App Revenue (Feb 2024): US $6.1 million
These stats reflect Telegram’s broad reach and engagement, making it a compelling platform for both personal use and professional strategy.
Also read about: WhatsApp Statistics
Telegram’s Growth Timeline: Monthly Active Users Over Time
Here is how Telegram’s MAU count has grown:
| Date | Monthly Active Users |
| March 2014 | 35 million |
| December 2014 | 50 million |
| September 2015 | 60 million |
| February 2016 | 100 million |
| December 2017 | 180 million |
| March 2018 | 200 million |
| October 2019 | 300 million |
| April 2020 | 400 million |
| January 2021 | 500 million |
| July 2021 | 550 million |
| June 2022 | 700 million |
| 2023 | 800 million |
| April 2024 | 900 million |
| July 2024 | 950 million |
| March 2025 | 1 billion |
Source: Statista 1, Telegram, Statista 2.
This timeline underscores how Telegram has scaled rapidly by offering distinctive features and tapping into global markets.
Daily Activity & Engagement
In 2025, Telegram’s 500 million daily actives means half of its monthly audience engages every day.
With users opening the app multiple times and spending consistent time, Telegram plays a meaningful role in daily communication.
Telegram Premium: A Growing Revenue Stream
Telegram Premium, launched in June 2022, includes perks like 4 GB file uploads, faster downloads and premium stickers.
By July 2025 the subscriber count reached 15 million, up from 10 million in September 2024. Even though premium users represent only ~1.5% of MAUs, the growth signals monetization potential.
| Month‑Year | Premium Subscribers |
| July 2022 | 0.15 million |
| August 2022 | 0.26 million |
| December 2022 | 1 million |
| October 2023 | 3.5 million |
| December 2023 | 4 million |
| January 2024 | 5 million |
| September 2024 | 10 million |
| July 2025 | 15 million |
For creators and businesses, Premium features add value — especially for sharing large files or exclusive content.
Also read about: Facebook Users Statistics
Demographics: Who’s Using Telegram?
By Age
| Age Group | Share of Users |
| 18‑24 | 23.8% |
| 25‑34 | 29.7% |
| 35‑44 | 19.64% |
| 45‑54 | 12.76% |
| 55‑64 | 9.36% |
| 65+ | 5.25% |
The dominant 25‑34 age bracket (29.7%) shows Telegram is geared toward young adults, making it well‑suited for trending content and early‑adopter behaviours.
By Gender
- Male users: 56.8%
- Female users: 43.2%
This moderate skew toward male users means content should still be inclusive but may resonate especially with tech‑ or crypto‑oriented audiences.
By Country Usage
| Country | % of Population Using Telegram |
| India | 45% |
| Brazil | 38% |
| Mexico | 34% |
| South Africa | 32% |
| Spain | 32% |
| Italy | 29% |
| Germany | 16% |
| France | 11% |
| United Kingdom | 10% |
| United States | 9% |
| Japan | 1% |
India (45%) stands out as a major market. Brands focusing on India, Brazil and Mexico may find particularly strong growth opportunities.
Also read about: Surprising Instagram Statistics
Downloads & Global Reach
Telegram’s popularity is also evident in its download numbers. For example, Android and iOS combined downloads reached 409.48 million in 2023 (a 6.94% increase from 2021).
Downloads by country (2023):
- India: 83.85 million
- Russia: 35.06 million
- United States: 29.92 million
- Indonesia: 24.34 million
- Brazil: 22.83 million
- Vietnam: 17.55 million
- Ukraine: 11.77 million
- Kazakhstan: 9.36 million
- France: 7.45 million
- United Kingdom: 6.04 million
- Malaysia: 5.52 million
- Italy: 4.14 million
By region (Q4 2023):
- EMEA: 46.17 million
- APAC: 44.45 million
- NALA (North & Latin America): 23.93 million
These numbers reflect strong traction in emerging markets, particularly in Asia and Africa.
Time Spent & Usage Patterns
Users spend, on average, 4 hours and 25 minutes per month on Telegram (≈8.5 minutes per day). Sessions average around 41 minutes, and users open the app roughly 21 times a day.
While lower than some other apps, this degree of engagement still provides meaningful touchpoints.
Comparative monthly usage:
| Platform | Time Spent |
| TikTok | 34 hours |
| YouTube | 28 hours 5 min |
| 19 hours 47 min | |
| 17 hours 6 min | |
| 15 hours 50 min | |
| Line | 8 hours 14 min |
| X (Twitter) | 4 hours 40 min |
| Telegram | 4 hours 25 min |
| Snapchat | 3 hours 33 min |
| Messenger | 3 hours 21 min |
While ranked 8th, Telegram’s combination of engagement and niche capabilities (bots, channels) make it a strong platform in its category.
Revenue & Funding
Telegram generates revenue largely through in‑app purchases and Premium subscriptions. In February 2024, for example:
- Apple App Store: US $4.86 million
- Google Play Store: US $1.22 million
Cumulative funding:
- March 18 2024: US $0.33 billion
- July 18 2023: US $0.27 billion
- April 28 2021: US $0.75 billion
- March 2021: US $1 billion
- March 1 2018: US $1.7 billion
This financial strength allows Telegram to develop features and scale globally.
Unique Features & Why Users Love Telegram
Telegram offers many standout capabilities:
- Large Group Chats: up to 200,000 members.
- File Sharing: up to 2 GB (4 GB for Premium users).
- Bots: Over 10 million bots, enabling automation across messaging, commerce and gaming.
- Channels: Broadcast to unlimited subscribers; channel owners may earn ad revenue (50% share) once they hit ~1,000+ subscribers.
- Privacy Focus: Optional end‑to‑end encryption for private chats (though not for all chats and needs to be enabled manually).
These features make Telegram ideal for community building, content delivery and marketing.
Telegram Channels: A Goldmine for Creators
Channels are widely used:
- Most popular channel: Telegram Tips (10.89 million subscribers).
- Other top channels: Telegram Premium (7.34 M), Telegram News (7.11 M), Proxy MTProto (7.10 M), Notcoin Community (6.10 M).
Popularity across categories:
- News: 85% of users follow
- Entertainment: 62%
- Educational: 58%
- Political: 50%
- Industry News: 48%
- Friends’ Personal Channels: 45%
- Brands/Companies: 17%
- Products/Discounts: 16%
- Job Offers: 14%
Channel monetization via ad revenue sharing opens up new revenue streams for creators and marketers.
E‑Commerce & Business Use
Telegram is becoming an e‑commerce hub. Sample sales data:
- Goods from China: US $12 million
- Digital Equipment: US $5.52 million
- Consumer Loans: US $3.12 million
- Apparel & Shoes: US $2.14 million
These figures highlight direct commerce capability via Telegram channels and bots.
Security & Challenges
Telegram’s privacy credentials come with complexities. Some issues:
- End‑to‑end encryption is optional and not enabled by default for all chats.
- Legal scrutiny: e.g., Telegram’s founder detained by French authorities in 2024 for alleged misuse of the app.
- Linked to scams: phishing tools, illegal file sharing and extortion have been reported.
- In censorship environments (e.g., Russia, Iran), Telegram remains popular—but brings regulatory risk.
For safe use: enable encryption, vet groups/channels and avoid suspicious links.
Community Insights: Quora & Reddit Discussions 2025
From Quora
- Question: “Can Telegram replace WhatsApp for businesses?”
Answer: Yes—with caveats. Business users highlight large groups and bots as major advantages; however WhatsApp’s default encryption and large user‑base still matter. - Question: “Is Telegram safe for crypto trading?”
Reddit users point to big crypto channels such as Notcoin Community but warn of scams and anonymity risks. - Question: “How can I monetize a Telegram channel?”
Common advice: Build a niche channel >1,000 subscribers to qualify for ad revenue share, explore Premium features and partner with brands.
From Reddit
- r/Telegram emphasizes how Telegram’s bots and group sizes allow large‑scale community building.
- r/Crypto warns about fake channels and pump‑and‑dump schemes.
- r/BusinessApps and r/Marketing praise Telegram’s use for direct marketing in India, Brazil and other fast‑growing markets.
- Monetization hacks: Use bots for subscriptions, premium content and affiliate sales tied to channels.
These community insights highlight how users are experimenting with Telegram for marketing, content and commerce—especially in emerging markets.
How to Use Telegram for Your Benefit
For Businesses
- Create a channel to broadcast updates and run exclusive offers.
- Use bots for customer service, order tracking or interactive content.
- Target high‑growth markets (India, Brazil) with localised content.
For Creators
- Build a niche channel, aim for 1,000+ subscribers to tap ad revenue share.
- Offer premium content (via Premium subscription or pay‑wall).
For Individuals
- Join communities in your interest area: technology, news, hobbies.
- Use private encrypted chats for secure messaging; take advantage of Telegram’s large file‑sharing for projects or media.
Global Reach & Platform Ranking
Telegram is available in 175 countries on iOS, 133 countries on Google Play, and 107 countries on Windows Store — making it a globally accessible platform.
Ranking among messaging platforms:
| Platform | Monthly Active Users |
| 3.065 billion | |
| YouTube | 2.504 billion |
| 2 billion | |
| 2 billion | |
| TikTok | 1.582 billion |
| 1.343 billion | |
| Telegram | 1 billion |
With 1 billion users, Telegram now ranks among the top messenger services globally.
FAQs About Telegram Statistics
1. How many people use Telegram in 2025?
Telegram has reached 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users in 2025, with around 2.5 million new users joining daily.
2. What makes Telegram different from other messaging apps?
Telegram stands out for its privacy-first features, large group capacity (up to 200,000 members), unlimited broadcast channels, and bot automation tools. It also supports file sharing up to 2–4 GB and has an ad-free experience.
3. How can creators and businesses earn money on Telegram?
Creators can monetize channels with 1,000+ subscribers via Telegram’s ad revenue share (50%), sell products or services, and offer exclusive content through Telegram Premium features. Bots and affiliate links are also common methods.
4. Is Telegram safe to use?
Telegram is generally safe, especially for one-on-one chats with end-to-end encryption (which must be enabled manually). However, group chats aren’t encrypted, and users should be cautious of scams or suspicious channels.
5. Where is Telegram most popular?
Telegram is most popular in India (45% of the population uses it), followed by Brazil (38%) and Mexico (34%). These regions offer strong opportunities for growth, marketing, and community building.
Also Read:
- LinkedIn Statistics
- Smartphone Usage Statistics
- Spotify Statistics
- Generative AI Statistics
- Discord Statistics
Conclusion: Why Telegram is a Game‑Changer
By 2025, Telegram’s sweep to 1 billion monthly users reflects its global appeal and flexibility.
The mix of young, engaged users; large group and channel features; and growing monetization tools make it a goldmine for creators, businesses and individuals seeking to build communities and reach new audiences.
However, the open nature of the platform and optional encryption highlight the importance of security awareness.
By leveraging Telegram’s channels, bots and premium offerings — and by targeting high‑growth regions such as India and Brazil — you can connect with audiences, scale your content and monetise effectively.
In the crowded landscape of apps, Telegram stands out as a versatile, high‑potential platform for 2025 and beyond.
