How to Invest in Telegram

Is Telegram publicly traded?

No, Telegram isn't publicly traded, so it's not possible for most people to buy Telegram stock. If you're an accredited investor, you may be able to buy shares of Telegram and other pre-IPO stocks through a platform like EquityZen or Forge Global. But if you're hoping to invest in Telegram stock using a regular brokerage account, you'll need to wait for the company to hold its IPO.

When will Telegram IPO?

Telegram hasn't filed to go public, so it's not on the IPO calendar. Before his arrest, Durov told the Financial Times in a rare March 2024 interview that the company could eventually IPO, although he wouldn't provide a timeline.

Durov, the sole owner of Telegram, said in the interview that the platform has received valuations north of $30 billion from potential investors, although he's ruled out selling the company as it eyes an IPO.

"Generally speaking, we see value in [an IPO] as a means to democratize access to Telegram's value," Durov said.

At the time, Telegram had raised more than $2 billion through debt financing, including $330 million worth of bonds. Durov wrote in a post that the latest issuance ensures that Telegram "can keep expanding at an accelerated speed."

Durov told the Financial Times that if the company goes public, it would consider allocating shares to loyal users, as Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) did last year when it made its stock market debut.

How to buy Telegram stock

For now, access to Telegram stock is off-limits for most investors. But if the company goes public someday, you'll be able to invest in the company using your brokerage account. To start investing in stocks, follow these steps:

1. Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
2. Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
3. Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
4. Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
5. Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
6. Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

Since Telegram stock isn't publicly traded at this point, here are three alternative stocks to consider:

Meta

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is best known as the owner of social media giants Facebook and Instagram. But in 2014, founder Mark Zuckerberg also paid $19 billion to acquire WhatsApp. Unlike Telegram, messages on WhatsApp feature end-to-end encryption by default, although WhatsApp has been criticized for sharing user data with Facebook. With more than 3 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp is by far the more popular messaging app.

Reddit

If you're enthusiastic about Telegram for its ability to facilitate anonymous conversation, consider investing in Reddit. Reddit has become a hugely popular social media site in recent years, but unlike other platforms, users don't share their names or identities when they sign up for the service. Reddit went public in one of the most-hyped IPOs of 2024. It also reported a profit for the first time in its 20-year history last year.

New York Times

The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) is a legacy media publisher that has embraced Telegram as a broadcasting platform. It initially launched its channel to provide reporting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict but has since expanded to include a daily international news roundup. Its channel had almost 170,000 subscribers in mid-2025.

Should I invest in Telegram?

It's premature to say whether you should invest in Telegram, given that the company hasn't announced its IPO and its CEO faces a prison sentence of as much as 10 years if convicted of criminal charges. But if the company files to go public, here are some situations where you should consider the stock:

• You believe the platform is a valuable tool for enhancing digital privacy and fighting authoritarianism.
• You think the platform's plan to improve content moderation will be successful.
• You already have a well-diversified portfolio and want to increase your exposure to social media or communications stocks.
• You're familiar with the risks of investing in IPO stocks and can stomach short-term volatility.
• You use Telegram and believe it's a better platform than its competitors, like WhatsApp.
• You believe the platform's popularity in emerging markets, like India, will allow it to grow its user base in the long term.
• You believe Telegram can continue growing its profitability through advertising and premium subscriptions.

Avoid investing in Telegram if:

• You have qualms about its use in spreading propaganda and facilitating criminal activity.
• You're troubled by the criminal charges founder and CEO Pavel Durov faces.
• You believe the company's current levels of debt are unsustainable.
• You believe the platform is vulnerable to cybersecurity threats.
• You're seeking a quick profit.
• You're an income investor since young, growth-oriented companies rarely pay dividends.

Is Telegram profitable?

Despite its recent troubles, Telegram is profitable for the first time in its history. On Dec. 23, 2024, Durov announced in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the company's 2024 revenue surpassed $1 billion.

As a private company, Telegram isn't required to publicly disclose financial information. However, Durov's post said that Telegram has more than $500 million in cash, not including crypto assets. He also acknowledged the $2 billion in debt the company has issued over the past four years, noting that it had repaid "a meaningful share of it" in the fall of 2024.

The company earned more than half its revenue from advertising in public channels, according to The New York Times. Telegram also has about 12 million subscribers who pay $5 monthly for additional features.

However, Durov has vowed not to include sponsored messages in private chats. He has also promised that Telegram's services will remain free, although the premium subscription unlocks features like 4 GB file uploads and faster download speeds.

ETFs with exposure to Telegram

Investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is a good way to diversify your portfolio. You can choose funds that track the broader stock market or focus on specific industries or themes with less risk than you'd get when you buy individual stocks.

Since Telegram isn't publicly traded, there are no ETFs that offer exposure to the company. However, here are three ETFs that could allow you to capitalize on similar themes.

• Vanguard Communications Services ETF (NYSEMKT:VOX): The ETF tracks an index of stocks in the U.S. communications sector, including companies that provide telephone, data transmission, cellular, and wireless communication services, along with various media companies. It has 116 holdings, the largest of which include Meta, Google parent company Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG), AT&T (NYSE:T), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), and Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX). The ETF's expense ratio is 0.09%, which means you'd pay $0.90 in fees on a $1,000 investment.
• Global X Social Media ETF (NYSEMKT:SOCL): If you're interested in social media companies not just in the U.S. but throughout the globe, check out the Global X Social Media ETF. The fund consists of almost 50 companies involved in social networking, file sharing, and other web-based media applications. Its top holdings are Meta, Chinese technology conglomerate Tencent Holdings Inc. (OTC:TCEHY), South Korean search engine giant Naver (OTC:NHNC.F), Chinese video-sharing and social media company Kuaishou Technology, and Pinterest (NYSE:PINS). The fund's expense ratio is a bit higher, at 0.65%, which means you'd pay $6.50 in fees on a $1,000 investment.
• Renaissance Capital IPO ETF (NYSEMKT:IPO): If you're seeking exposure to IPO stocks in general, you can invest in the Renaissance Capital IPO ETF. The ETF invests exclusively in companies that have gone public in the past three years. The fund's top five holdings are Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) spinoff Kenvue (NYSE:KVUE), British semiconductor and software development company Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM), investment and insurance products provider Corebridge Financial Inc. (NYSE:CRBG), semiconductor designer and manufacturer Astera Labs (NASDAQ:ALAB), and solar panel tracking manufacturer Nextracker (NASDAQ:NXT). The ETF's expense ratio is 0.60%, which means you'd pay $6 in fees on a $1,000 investment.

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