Telegram Stars and Premium statistics 2026

Short answer: Telegram has over 1 billion monthly active users in 2026, with 15 million+ Premium subscribers (roughly 1.5%). The company turned its first profit in 2024 ($547M), grew H1 2025 revenue to $870M (+65%), but also posted a $220M+ net loss over that same half-year because of a Toncoin write-down. Every number below is dated and sourced.

How many users does Telegram have?

Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced on X on March 20, 2025, that Telegram had reached "significantly over 1 billion monthly active users" — making it the world's second most-used messaging app after WhatsApp, excluding China-specific WeChat.

In the same announcement, Durov shared engagement figures: the average user opens the app 21 times a day and spends 41 minutes a day in it. Third-party analytics platforms estimate daily active users at roughly 500 million — half of MAU, a notably strong ratio (an estimate, not an official Telegram figure).

How many Telegram Premium subscribers are there?

In May 2025, Durov posted on X: "Telegram Premium now has over 15 million paid subscribers," noting the number had doubled in a single year. 15 million is about 1.5% of the 1-billion MAU base — still a small slice, but a segment that has nearly quadrupled in 18 months.

For what Premium actually includes and how the plans compare, see what Telegram Premium actually gives you.

How much revenue does Telegram make?

In December 2024, Durov officially announced that annual revenue had surpassed $1 billion and net profit reached $547 million — the company's first profitable year. It closed the year with over $500 million in cash, and a meaningful share of the roughly $2 billion in bonds issued over four years was repaid that autumn.

The picture shifted in H1 2025. Per Financial Times reporting, revenue rose from $525M (H1 2024) to $870M (+65%), with the company targeting $2 billion for the full year. But after Toncoin lost 69% of its value in 2025 (per CoinGecko) and Telegram sold over $450 million of it, the company posted a net loss of $220M+ in H1 2025 — versus a $334M profit in H1 2024. That swing shows how much of Telegram's bottom line still depends on crypto-asset prices.

How much do Stars cost internationally?

Buying Telegram Stars directly through the App Store or Google Play is priced in US dollars and requires an internationally-billed card:

App Store and Google Play pricing is out of reach for most buyers in Uzbekistan, since it needs an internationally-billed Visa or Mastercard. StarsJoy solves that: pay directly in som with Uzcard or Humo, at a flat 240 UZS per star for any quantity. See the full price table at Buy Telegram Stars.

How much do creators actually earn from Stars?

When a channel or bot owner cashes out earned Stars, industry estimates put the payout at roughly $0.013 per Star when the buyer purchased on web or desktop. If the buyer purchases inside the iOS or Android app instead, Apple or Google take a 30% cut, and the payout drops to around $0.009 per Star.

That gap is why many channel and bot owners tell their audience to buy Stars through the web version rather than in-app. See what you can actually do with Telegram Stars for the full range of ways Stars get earned and spent.

How big is the Telegram Gifts market?

Third-party market data puts total Telegram Gifts trading volume at over $354 million since launch (as of March 2026). As of November 2025, more than 2 million users collectively owned over 9 million digital gifts. Upgrading an ordinary gift into a unique NFT version costs just 25 Stars — the TON network fee.

These figures describe the overall market; for record prices on individual gifts, see the most expensive Telegram gifts in 2026.