Ever since its introduction in 2013, Telegram Messenger has gained more than 800 million users from across the globe. The messaging app is extremely popular for its privacy and security options. Many people, however, are intrigued as to who owns the app. In this article, we will go through the known investors of the app in addition to figuring out how many of them exist.
If we talk about the ownership and how the app was founded, Pavel and Nikolai Durov are the names behind the founding of Telegram. Pavel Durov happens to be the main owner of the company and serves as the public figure as well. In 2006, whenever he was about to start Telegram, he was also a part of the social networking site VKontakte. Durov sold his part away for over 300 million euros. With these funds, he was able to support the app’s development and further enhance the business.
With the latest information that is available, Durov single-handedly owns the app and all of the shares of the company. Due to these reasons, he does not have to share the power with anyone. This is extremely beneficial because he has complete control over the app’s direction and its core values are safe.
Investors and Funding
Although Pavel Durov has full control over Telegram, the company has also invested in various funding activities for growth and operations:
- Private Placements and Bonds:
- In 2018, Telegram, a messaging app company, conducted a private placement round that raised $1.7 billion. This round was attended by well-known VCs like Kleiner Perkins, Benchmark, and Sequoia Capital.
- Five-year public bonds were issued by Telegram in March 2021 to cover debt and to invest in expansion. These bonds were worth 1 billion dollars. Later, 150 million in bonds were sold to Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners along with the Abu Dhabi Mubadala investment company.
- In March 2024, an additional self-reported bond sale secured 330 million, of which goes to strengthening balance sheets.
- Well-known investors
- State-held holding company from the United Arab Emirates, Mubadala, invested alongside most of the other investors in the 150 million Telegram bonds.
- Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners, a UAE investment firm, contributed to the bond purchase along with others like Mubadala.
- Dalma Capital, Jasper Ventures, ARK Fund, and Golden Falcon Capital along with Manta Ray Ventures, AID Partners, and 3E Capital Group were featured in many funding rounds and so have invested in Telegram.
Investor Ownership Percentages
It’s important to note that buying bonds or providing funds means having a stake in the firm but does not grant equity or ownership rights. It is an important distinction considering the amount of investment.
The investors in question provided capital in return for certain financial instruments like bonds, which may pay interest or allow them to be converted at some future point, and which do not give them equity shares in Telegram. Consequently, Pavel Durov continues to be the single owner and possesses 100 percent of the equity of the company.
Monetisation and Financial Performance
From the outset, Telegram has focused on growing its user base and protecting their privacy above all else. In December 2024, Chairman Pavel Durov stated that Telegram was making a profit for the first time, spurred by increased sales in ad slots and Premium subscriptions. In 2023, Telegram’s earned revenues of $342 million mostly from their premium services and entered into cryptocurrency deals, most notably selling Toncoin. Although the company managed these revenues, it did not succeed profitably, experiencing losses due to operational costs which outpaced revenue.
Legal and Regulatory Challenges
Pavel Durov was arrested in France in August 2024 for charges related to the platform allegedly facilitating illegal activities because of its privacy policies. This event has attracted increased interest in how Telegram monitors its operations and moderation of content. Further, the company is challenged with trying to be profitably sustainable because it currently loses money with the revenues generated. These financial issues may require a change in business strategy like incorporating advertising or premium features.
Conclusion
Telegram Messenger showcases the unique vision solopreneur Pavel Durov has in creating a secure and private use of the communication industry. And while the company has enjoyed massive investment through funding cycles and bond flotation, these investments do not give any shareholding in the company meaning.
Currently, Pavel Durov continues to own Telegram entirely, shaping its business goals and protecting the core values of the company. The company parallelly works towards achieving self-sustaining finances, while also tackling the distinct challenges of monetisation and regulation within the digital market.