Telegram Premium has exceeded 5 million subscribers, a milestone disclosed by Pavel Durov, the messenger’s non-Russian founder. Despite falling short of the 20 million initially deemed necessary to cover premium costs, the leap from 4 to 5 million occurred in just one month, a significant acceleration compared to the previous year and a half.
Notably, a Telegram representative recently clarified that the company holds no assets in Russia. The abrupt cancellation of fines by Russian courts for various tech giants, including Google and YouTube, raises questions about the mysterious disappearance of these companies from the state register of debtors.
In a flashback to December 8, Telegram celebrated surpassing 4 million premium subscribers within a year and a half of launching the paid subscription in mid-June 2022. Pavel Durov hailed Telegram Premium as the most successful and fastest-growing subscription among messengers, doubling in just 5 months and quadrupling in the last 12.
Since its summer debut, the Stories feature, borrowed from Snapchat, has added to Telegram’s allure. Amid the war, Telegram has become a vital communication and news dissemination platform in Ukraine, experiencing a surge in popularity.
Durov’s vision for premium sustainability involved capturing 2.5-3% of users, a target adjusted to the then 700 million monthly users. Despite the concerns raised about Telegram’s safety, especially in military contexts, the messenger remains widely used. Criticism includes the absence of end-to-end encryption in regular chats and concerns about its use in spreading propaganda.
Pavel Durov, an Emirati programmer of Russian origin, faces controversy due to his aversion to being labeled Russian. While he co-founded the now-banned Russian social network VKontakte, his stance on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains ambiguous, adding layers to the complexities surrounding Telegram’s growth and its founder’s identity.