Telegram has 900mn users and is nearing profitability, according to the owner of the secretive messaging app, as the company moves closer to a potential blockbuster stock market listing.
Pavel Durov told the Financial Times that Dubai-based Telegram had grown to become one of the world’s most popular social media apps while making “hundreds of millions of dollars” in revenues after introducing advertising and premium subscription services two years ago.
“We are hoping to become profitable next year, if not this year,” said the Russia-born founder in his first public interview since 2017. He added that the platform has 900mn monthly active users, up from 500mn at the beginning of 2021.