Telegram reaches a billion active users, CEO Pavel Durov slams WhatsApp calling it a "cheap imitation"

What just happened? Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has celebrated the communications platform hitting one billion monthly active users by calling rival WhatsApp a "cheap, watered down imitation." Durov recently returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to a criminal investigation related to criminal activity on Telegram. Durov revealed that Telegram had reached one billion monthly active users on his own personal channel. That marks an increase of 50 million users compared with last year. He also said that the company had recorded $547 million in profits in 2024. The CEO also took a shot at rival WhatsApp, which has more than 2 billion monthly active users. "Ahead of us stands WhatsApp – a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram. For years, they've desperately tried to copy our innovations while burning billions on lobbying and PR campaigns to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and – unlike our competitor – retained its ... Read full article.