Telegram, a fast, secure, and powerful messaging app that lets users access chats from multiple devices, has seen its user base surge to an impressive 950 million users.
This significant milestone highlights the platform’s growing popularity and its ability to attract a global audience.
Recall that in 2022, according to Sensor Tower’s Q1 2022 Data Digest, Telegram was among the top 5 most downloaded apps in the world. Of the top 5 apps, Telegram was the only platform that didn’t spend billions on marketing to buy downloads.
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Highlighting this achievement, Pavel Durov, Founder & CEO, Telegram said,
“In 2022, Telegram is again among the top 5 most downloaded apps in the world (just like in 2021). Of these top 5 most popular apps, Telegram is the only one that doesn’t spend billions on marketing to buy downloads. In a way, we are the only app that is on the list purely because it is genuinely loved by the people.”
In addition to nearing a 1 billion user base, Telegram is set to launch its app store and an in-app browser with support for web3 pages this month, the company’s founder said.
It is however worth noting that the rapid growth of users on Telegram, is majorly attributed to the popularity of Tap-to-earn crypto games like Hamster Kombat, TapSwap, and Notcoin, amongst others, on the platform.
The platform’s open and decentralized nature aligns well with the principles of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, which has made it a natural fit for crypto games, which often emphasize decentralization and community participation.
Telegram has long supported cryptocurrency and blockchain initiatives, but its efforts to enter the space slowed down after its initial coin offering failed in 2018. Fast forward to December 2022, the platform began auctioning usernames on the TON blockchain.
It has since then focused on helping developers build mini-apps and games that use cryptócurrency for transactions. This year, it started sharing ad revenue with channel owners by handing out toncoin (a token on the TON blockchain). Earlier this month, Telegram started letting channel owners convert stars to toncoin to buy ads at discounted rates or trade cryptocurrencies.
The intersection of Telegram’s robust user base and the innovative potential of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology suggests a bright future for crypto games on the platform. As the app continues to grow and evolve, it is likely to become an even more integral part of the crypto gaming ecosystem.
Notably, Telegram’s surge in popularity has positioned it as a key platform for crypto games. With its supportive features and engaged user base, it offers a unique environment for the development of blockchain-based games.