In Moscow on April 17th, Pavel Durov, the billionaire behind the Telegram messaging app, predicts that it will likely surpass one billion active monthly users within a year, likening its growth to a "forest fire."
Telegram, headquartered in Dubai, was established by Russian-born Durov, who departed Russia in 2014 after rejecting demands to shut down opposition communities on his VK social media platform, which he subsequently sold.
"We're on track to exceed one billion monthly active users within the next year," Durov, Telegram's sole owner, conveyed to U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson in a video interview shared on Carlson's X social media platform account.
"Telegram's expansion is reminiscent of a forest fire."
Durov, whose wealth is estimated at $15.5 billion by Forbes, acknowledged governmental pressures but affirmed that the app, boasting 900 million active users presently, must maintain its status as a "neutral platform" and abstain from geopolitical involvement.
Meta Platforms'
(META.O) WhatsApp, a primary competitor of Telegram, boasts
over two billion monthly active users. The Financial Times reported in March that Telegram intends to pursue a U.S. listing upon achieving profitability.
Telegram, wielding significant influence in former Soviet Union republics, ranks among the major social media platforms, trailing Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Telegram emerged as the primary conduit for unfiltered - albeit occasionally graphic and misleading - content from both warring factions and the political sphere surrounding the conflict.
INFORMATION WARS
Durov recounted conceiving the notion of an encrypted messaging application as a means of communication while facing pressure in Russia. His younger sibling, Nikolai, crafted the encryption mechanism.
Departing Russia, Durov cited an inability to submit to governmental directives. He dismissed allegations of Telegram's Russian control as baseless rumors propagated by competitors concerned about its expansion.
"I value freedom over subservience to any authority," remarked Durov on his departure from Russia and quest to establish his company's base, which involved stays in Berlin, London, Singapore, and San Francisco.
He criticized the bureaucratic hurdles, particularly in hiring global talent, in those locales. In San Francisco, he encountered street assailants attempting to pilfer his phone.
More disconcerting, he disclosed excessive attention from U.S. security agencies, including purported attempts by the FBI to recruit one of his engineers to create a platform backdoor. The FBI declined to comment outside of business hours.
In matters of freedom of expression, he identified major adversaries in competitors like Apple
(AAPL.O) and Alphabet's Google
(GOOGL.O). These platforms, he asserted, possessed the authority to censor smartphone content and warned Telegram of removal if non-compliant.
Selecting the United Arab Emirates for its neutrality and amicable disposition towards all nations, Durov deemed it an ideal locale for a neutral platform.
Telegram, he emphasized, served both opposition figures and governments impartially.
"The clash of diverse viewpoints can yield progress and a brighter future for all," Durov articulated.
He disclosed possessing no significant assets beyond currency or Bitcoin, eschewing real estate, private aircraft, or yachts in favor of personal liberty.
