How Long Has Telegram Existed? A Brief History of the Popular Messaging App
How Long Has Telegram Existed? A Brief History of the Popular Messaging App
Blog Article
Telegram, one with the world’s most widely used messaging apps, 's been around for more than a decade. It was officially launched on August 14, 2013, by Nikolai and Pavel Durov, the same duo behind VKontakte (VK), Russia’s largest social media site. Since its debut, telegram history timeline rapidly, thanks to its strong concentrate on speed, privacy, and security.
The Beginning of Telegram
Telegram came to be out with the need for a good communication platform that's not under government control. After facing pressure from Russian authorities over their earlier project VK, the Durov brothers created Telegram just as one independent, cloud-based messaging service. The app was initially available for iOS, with an Android version released later that same year.
Key Milestones in Telegram’s Timeline
2013: Telegram is launched with a focus on private messaging and encrypted communication.
2014: Telegram hits 35 million users and introduces features like secret chats and self-destructing messages.
2017: Telegram reaches 100 million monthly active users, with over 15 billion messages sent daily.
2018: The company attempts to launch the Telegram Open Network (TON) and it is own copyright (Gram), although the project was later halted because of legal challenges using the U.S. SEC.
2021: Telegram surpasses 500 million active users and becomes one from the top 10 most downloaded apps worldwide.
2023–2024: With ongoing updates, Telegram enhances features like Stories, Mini Apps, and business tools, continuing its rise like a competitor to WhatsApp along with other social platforms.
What Makes Telegram Unique
Telegram sticks out for several reasons:
End-to-end encryption (in secret chats)
Large group and channel capabilities (as much as 200,000 members)
Cloud-based sync across devices
Bots, stickers, and customization
No ads (by its early years), with no sale of user data
As of 2025, Telegram has been around existence for nearly 12 years, growing from a niche, privacy-focused app right into a global messaging platform with vast sums of users. Its commitment to security, innovation, and user control continues to attract people looking for an replacement for mainstream messaging services.