Telegram, one from the world’s most favored messaging apps, has existed for more than a decade. It was officially launched on August 14, 2013, by Nikolai and Pavel Durov, the identical duo behind VKontakte (VK), Russia’s largest social media site. Since its debut, when was telegram created rapidly, as a result of its strong concentrate on speed, privacy, and security.
The Beginning of Telegram
Telegram was given birth to out from the need for a secure communication platform that was not under government control. After facing pressure from Russian authorities over their earlier project VK, the Durov brothers created Telegram as a possible independent, cloud-based messaging service. The app was basically available for iOS, having 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 more than 15 billion messages sent daily.
2018: The company tries to launch the Telegram Open Network (TON) and its own cryptocurrency (Gram), although the project was later halted on account of legal challenges using the U.S. SEC.
2021: Telegram surpasses 500 million active users and becomes one with 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 as being a competitor to WhatsApp and other social platforms.
What Makes Telegram Unique
Telegram stands apart 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 (as of its early years), with out sale of user data
As of 2025, Telegram has been in existence for almost 12 years, growing from your niche, privacy-focused app into a global messaging platform with hundreds of millions of users. Its persistence for security, innovation, and user control continues to attract people looking for an replacement for mainstream messaging services.