How Long Has Telegram Existed? A Brief History with the Popular Messaging App

Telegram, one of the world’s most widely used messaging apps, has existed for more than a decade. It was officially launched on August 14, 2013, by Nikolai and Pavel Durov, a similar duo behind VKontakte (VK), Russia’s largest social media site. Since its debut, telegram history timeline rapidly, because of its strong concentrate on speed, privacy, and security. The Beginning of Telegram Telegram was created out of the need for a secure 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 basically available for iOS, by 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, craigs list 15 billion messages sent daily. 2018: The company efforts to launch the Telegram Open Network (TON) as well as own cryptocurrency (Gram), although project was later halted due to legal challenges using the U.S. SEC. 2021: Telegram surpasses 500 million active users and becomes one of 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 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 (around 200,000 members) Cloud-based sync across devices Bots, stickers, and customization No ads (as of its early years), and no sale of user data As of 2025, Telegram has been in existence for nearly 12 years, growing coming from a niche, privacy-focused app into a global messaging platform with hundreds of millions of users. Its resolve for security, innovation, and user control is constantly on the attract people looking for an replacement for mainstream messaging services.