Telegram has 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users as of 2026. WhatsApp and WeChat are the only messaging apps with a higher active user base than Telegram as of 2026.
Telegram was created by Russian entrepreneurs Pavel and Nikolai Durov in 2013. Although it was founded by Russians, Telegram’s operational center is now based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Telegram’s users exchange over 15 billion messages daily on the platform. Given its steady growth, here is a blog dedicated to the app’s demographics. We will break down Telegram’s user count over the years, the gender split, and much more. Let’s get into it shall we?
Top Telegram Statistics – Editor’s Picks
- Telegram has over 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users as of 2026.
- On average, a Telegram user opens the app 21 times a day and spends about 41 minutes using it.
- Telegram is the 3rd most popular messaging app in terms of user base.
- The app registered a revenue of $870 million in profits in H1 2025.
- There are 10 million Telegram Premium subscribers worldwide.
Brief Overview of Telegram
| Launch Date | August 2013 |
| Founders | Nikolai Durov & Pavel Durov |
| Messaging Features | Supports text, voice messages, multimedia files, and stickers. |
| Groups & Channels | Allows creating groups (up to 200,000 members) and channels for broadcasting to large audiences. |
| Security Features | End-to-end encryption for secret chats, self-destructing messages, and two-step verification. |
| Supported Platforms | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS |
How Many People Use Telegram In 2026
Telegram has over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2026, which is a 5.26% increase from 2024. Telegram crossed the billion mark in 2025 and has a daily active user base of 500 million. These users spend an average of 41 minutes using the platform.
| Year | Telegram Users |
| 2014 | 0.05 billion |
| 2015 | 0.06 billion |
| 2016 | 0.10 billion |
| 2017 | 0.18 billion |
| 2018 | 0.20 billion |
| 2019 | 0.30 billion |
| 2020 | 0.40 billion |
| 2021 | 0.55 billion |
| 2022 | 0.70 billion |
| 2023 | 0.80 billion |
| 2024 | 0.95 billion |
| 2025 | 1 billion |
| 2026 | 1 billion |
Source: Financial Times, Telegram. Tgstat
Telegram users by country
9.87% of the world population uses Telegram, with India having the highest number of users, at 104.04 million. Indian users make up 6.66% of all Telegram users.
Russia, the place where the platform was born, has a user base of 34.4 million. Followed by Indonesia at 27.21 million.
Here is a table showing the countries with the most Telegram users:
| Country | Telegram Users |
| India | 104.04 million |
| Russia | 34.40 million |
| Indonesia | 27.21 million |
| United States | 26.85 million |
| Brazil | 21.94 million |
| Egypt | 14.85 million |
- Telegram has an average of 318.5 million monthly visits worldwide.
| Country | Average Time Spent On Instagram |
| Russia | 00:15:54 |
| India | 00:09:39 |
| Ukraine | 00:17:57 |
| Brazil | 00:13:02 |
| Italy | 00:10:20 |
- Telegram claims the 4th spot among the world’s most popular messaging apps in 2025.
- Telegram is the 13th most popular social media in terms of user base.
Telegram’s User Demographic Statistics
- 59.41% of Telegram’s user base is male, and 40.59% is female.
- Telegram’s users are predominantly from Asia (38%), followed by Europe (27%), Latin America (21%), and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region (8%).
- Among Telegram users, 30.13% fall within the 25 to 34 age bracket, while 23.69% are 18 to 24.
(Sources: similarweb, World Population Review)
Telegram Premium Subscribers
There are 12 million Telegram Premium subscribers worldwide as of 2026. This is an increase of 7 million subscribers since 2024. Telegram introduced its freemium model with paid subscriptions in June 2022.
(Source: Statista)
Telegram Downloads Over The Years
| Year | No. Of Telegram Downloads |
| 2026 (February) | 1.2 billion |
| 2025 | 1.2 billion |
| 2024 | 1 billion |
| 2023 | 409.5 million |
| 2022 | 367.23 million |
| 2021 | 382.92 million |
| 2020 | 326.31 million |
| 2019 | 141.5 million |
(Source: Statista)
Number of Telegram Users Who Play Games On The Platform
At least 300 million people are playing games on Telegram. That is equivalent to 30% of the platform’s MAUs. Telegram’s competitor, WeChat, earns about $2.3 billion from games played inside its app, mainly through mini-games used by around 1 billion people. Telegram also has over 1 billion users, but its gaming ecosystem is still very new.
So far, popular games like Notcoin and Hamster Kombat have generated only about $180 million in revenue. This means there is a potential gap of $1 to 2 billion in gaming revenue that Telegram has not yet tapped into.
Telegram’s Revenue Statistics
- Telegram registered a revenue of $870 million in the first half of 2025.
- Telegram surpassed yearly revenue of 1 billion dollars in 2024, reporting its first-ever profitable year.
- In early 2024, Telegram’s in-app revenue reached nearly $6.1 million, with $4.86 million from the Apple App Store and $1.22 million from the Google Play Store.
- Telegram’s cryptocurrency, Gram, faced regulatory challenges, leading to its closure in 2020 due to the company’s failure to register the early sale of $1.7 billion in tokens.
- Before becoming public, the value of Gram may have appreciated by up to 200%.
- Notably, South Korea’s Gram Asia had plans to sell the cryptocurrency at $4 per Gram, potentially bringing Telegram profits of nearly $4 billion.
- As of 2024, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has an estimated net worth of $15.5 billion.
Which Is The Most Popular Channel On Telegram?
‘Telegram Tips’ is the most popular channel on the platform. Telegram channels are a feature within the Telegram messaging app that allows users to subscribe to and receive broadcast messages from a channel administrator or creator. They serve as a one-to-many communication platform, enabling the dissemination of information, updates, or content to a large audience.
Top 5 Most Popular Channels On Telegram
| Channel Names | Number of Followers |
| @hamster_kombat | 31.22 million |
| @blumcrypto | 28.60 million |
| @majors | 23 million |
| @pawsupfam | 21.44 million |
| @tapswapai | 20.7 million |
| @empirex | 17.54 million |
| @memeficlub | 17.11 million |
| @seedupdates | 16.71 million |
| @notcoin | 16.02 million |
| @Cats_housewtf | 15.82 million |
(Source: Nicegram)
Most Popular Channel Categories On Telegram
| Channel Category | Share of respondents |
| News related | 85% |
| Entertainment | 62% |
| Educational | 58% |
| Political channels | 50% |
| News from own industry | 48% |
| Personal channels of friends | 45% |
(Source: Statista)
Other Interesting Facts About Telegram
- Telegram users generate 1 trillion views in channels every month.
- Telegram will reward owners of public channels with at least 1000 subscribers with 50% of the revenue from ads displayed in their channels.
- Telegram has added over 15 new features in 2024, including recommended channels, a way to view your profile and display your channel and birthday on your page, and improved moderation tools for group admins.
- Telegram users can create stickers and entire sticker sets using a powerful in-app editor.
- If you don’t use your Telegram account for a certain period, it can be set to automatically delete itself. This period can be adjusted from one month to one year.
- Telegram was the world’s most installed app in January 2021.
- Telegram allows users to have more than one account on the same device. You can easily switch between them without logging out.
- Users can now convert their Telegram accounts into business accounts, gaining access to features like opening hours, location, quick replies, and automated messages.
- You can schedule messages on Telegram. To schedule a message in Telegram, type your message, tap and hold the Send button, choose “Schedule Message” from the pop-up menu, pick the date and time, and then tap the Send button.
- The Saved Messages 2.0 update includes one-time voice and video messages that are deleted after being played.
- Telegram channel owners can launch giveaways to distribute prizes among their followers.
- Telegram now features a download manager that allows users to manage all their downloads in one convenient place.
- Users can import their chat history from other messaging apps into Telegram, making it easier to switch platforms without losing conversations.
- At least 85% of Telegram’s user base has Android devices.
(Source: Telegram, Business Insider, Atlas Obscura, Techpp, WebsiteBuilder)
FAQs on Telegram
Telegram is a versatile messaging platform that has gained popularity for its focus on privacy, speed, and unique features like cloud-based messaging, large group capacities, and customizable themes. It offers a seamless user experience across devices and supports a wide range of functionalities that go beyond simple text messaging. With its ever-growing user base and constant updates, many new users are curious about the app. Here are some FAQs to get more clarity on Telegram.
Is Telegram banned in India?
As of now, Telegram is not banned in India. However, the app is under intense scrutiny following the arrest of its CEO, Pavel Durov, in France. The Indian government is investigating Telegram’s involvement in illegal activities such as extortion and gambling. While there are concerns and ongoing probes, no official ban has been implemented yet.
Which countries is Telegram banned in?
Telegram has faced bans and restrictions in several countries due to various reasons, including concerns over security, privacy, and the app’s use in illegal activities. Here are some of the countries where Telegram has been banned or restricted:
- China: Telegram is completely banned due to strict internet censorship laws.
- Iran: The app is banned due to concerns over its use in organizing protests and spreading information against the government.
- Indonesia: Telegram was temporarily banned in 2017 due to concerns over its use by terrorist groups.
- Thailand: The app was banned in 2020 due to government regulations.
- Vietnam: In 2025, authorities ordered telecom operators to block Telegram, citing concerns over illegal content and alleged non-cooperation by Telegram.
Is Telegram going to shut down in India?
As of now, Telegram is not officially shutting down in India. However, the app is under intense scrutiny due to ongoing investigations by the Indian government into its alleged involvement in illegal activities such as extortion and gambling.
Who uses Telegram the most?
India has the most Telegram users, with over 104 million downloads. This is largely due to India’s large population and widespread smartphone usage. Other countries with significant Telegram user bases include Russia, Indonesia, and the United States.
How many Telegram users are there in the USA?
In 2024, Telegram became a widely used messaging platform in the United States, with an impressive 26.9 million monthly active users. The brand awareness of Telegram is at 53% in the country.
Which country uses Telegram the most?
India has the highest number of Telegram users, with over 104 million downloads. This is largely due to India’s large population and widespread smartphone usage. Other countries with significant Telegram user bases include Russia, Indonesia, and the United States.
How much does Telegram pay for 1K subscribers?
Telegram offers a revenue-sharing model for channel owners. If you have a public channel with at least 1,000 subscribers, you can earn 50% of the revenue from ads displayed in your channel. The exact amount you earn depends on the ad revenue generated by your channel.
