Telegram, the privacy-focused messaging app, became profitable for the first time in 2024, earning $540 million in net profit. This is a sharp rise from just $9.4 million in revenue in 2021.
Revenue sources in 2024:
Partnerships: $700M
Premium subscriptions: $292M
Advertising: $250M
Other: ~$158M
Timeline of growth:
2013: Launch
2016: 200M users
2020: 500M users
2023: 900M users
2025 (expected): 1B+ users
From 2013 to 2020, Telegram relied on investor funding. Over $4B was raised, including major contributions from Mubadala and Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners.
Revenue growth:
2021: $9.4M
2022: $45M
2023: $343M
2024: $1.4B
The company went from a $173M net loss in 2023 to a $540M profit in 2024.
Outlook:
Telegram plans to reach $2B revenue in 2025, expand its premium offerings, and further monetize through ads and partnerships. The platform might also enter Web3 territory.
What it means for investors:
Telegram proves long-term focus on users pays off.
Privacy-focused platforms are on the rise.
Monetization models like Premium + Partnerships are scalable.
This could signal growing investor interest in similar high-growth tech startups.