Telegram Hits 1 Billion Active Users, CEO Pavel Durov Calls WhatsApp 'Cheap, Watered-Down Imitation'

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov announced that the platform has reached a milestone of one billion monthly active users. This is a notable increase from last year's reported 950 million monthly active users. Durov revealed that the company recorded profits of $547 million in 2024—a figure he hinted at in December without divulging exact numbers.

Announcing the development on X, formerly Twitter, Durov said, "Telegram now has significantly over 1 billion monthly active users, becoming the second most popular messaging app in the world (excluding the China-specific WeChat)."

Taking a swipe at rival WhatsApp, Durov called the Meta-owned platform a 'cheap' imitation of Telegram.

"Ahead of us stands WhatsApp — a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram. For years, they’ve desperately tried to copy our innovations while burning billions on lobbying and PR campaigns to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and — unlike our competitor — retained its independence," he said.

Durov's dig at WhatsApp comes just after he was allowed to return to Dubai after his arrest in France. He was released on a $5.6 million bail after being held under strict judicial restrictions, temporarily lifted between Mar. 15 and Apr. 7, allowing him to travel.

The Telegram CEO was arrested in August 2024 after landing in Paris on his private jet. Durov was arrested on multiple charges, including the distribution of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking on Telegram. The French authorities had also accused him of non-cooperation with the investigation. 

Commenting on his return, Durov posted, "The process is ongoing but it feels great to be home."

While Pavel Durov’s comments aimed at drawing a stark contrast between Telegram and its Meta-owned competitor, a WhatsApp spokesperson countered the claims. Talking to Business Insider, the spokesperson said WhatsApp was "born with privacy in our DNA long before Telegram came along." The spokesperson even criticised Telegram, saying, "Telegram still doesn't secure group conversations and instead chooses to keep them all on their servers."

Following Durov's arrest, Telegram introduced many policy reforms in response to regulatory pressures and its own internal challenges. The platform has joined the Internet Watch Foundation, which works to identify and remove child sexual abuse material. It has also begun publishing transparency reports that detail content removals. Telegram even announced in September 2024 that it will begin sharing IP addresses and phone numbers of offenders with law enforcement agencies when legally mandated.

Outside China, WhatsApp dominates the global messaging landscape, with over two billion monthly active users, according to a report in TechCrunch. Both WhatsApp and Telegram are vying for the attention of businesses and creators by introducing features like business accounts and channels.

Telegram has also gained popularity among cryptocurrency users by adding TON blockchain support, allowing wallets, decentralised apps and in-app purchases for mini-apps and games.