Telegram Eyes 1B Users as Hamster Kombat Soars

As a seasoned technology analyst with over two decades of experience in the industry, I’ve witnessed countless apps and platforms come and go. However, Telegram’s recent achievement of 950 million monthly active users is nothing short of impressive. The platform’s success story is particularly noteworthy given its late entry into the social media messaging market dominated by giants like Facebook and WhatsApp.


Telegram, a globally recognized social media messaging app, recently announced it surpassed 950 million monthly active users following over a decade in operation. Founder Pavel Durov made this revelation on July 22, stating the team’s ambition to hit the 1 billion user mark by year’s end.

The social media messaging app’s remarkable growth can be attributed in part to the meteoric popularity of Hamster Kombat, a crypto game with the tap-to-earn feature that has swiftly captured the attention of Telegram’s user base.

Hamster Kombat’s Meteoric Rise

In March 2024, Hamster Kombat debuted as a compact application on Telegram. Its uncomplicated design and captivating gameplay have since attracted a massive following of over 239 million users within just three months after its release. This rapid growth in popularity is a remarkable achievement, surpassed only by Pokémon GO and Instagram’s Threads before it.

Millions of new users, especially those from the younger demographic, have been drawn to Telegram due to the infectious popularity of games like Hamster Kombat. With a user base of over 53 million active subscribers, this game’s broad allure is clearly evident.

This game is distinguished by its captivating gameplay and instructive elements. In the digital crypto exchange simulation, users tap and oversee transactions to amass HMSTR tokens. By upgrading their hamsters, accomplishing daily tasks, and joining exclusive missions, players are rewarded with prizes.

Strategic Expansion of Telegram

Telegram, the social media messaging app, aims to broaden its platform by incorporating mini-apps like Hamster Kombat, which have experienced significant growth and draw in new users. By expanding its ecosystem, Telegram intends to create favorable conditions for continued growth.

As a crypto investor, I’m excited about the recent announcement from Durov regarding the upcoming launch of an app store and in-app browser for web3 pages on his platform. This new feature will significantly enhance my user experience by providing a more comprehensive and engaging digital environment. The seamless integration of web3 pages within the app is expected to create a more cohesive and streamlined experience, making it easier for me to navigate and utilize various decentralized applications.

Telegram has a history of frequently introducing and enhancing its features in response to industry developments. Last year, the platform began allowing developers to create cryptocurrency-focused mini-applications and games as part of an initiative to tap into this sector, following previous challenges in navigating regulatory hurdles for entry.

In the year 2023, the company introduced crypto payment functionalities enabling merchants to receive digital currencies as forms of payment. Concurrently, they initiated a revenue-sharing scheme for content creators, utilizing Toncoin (TON), the native token of The Open Network, to reward and incentivize engaging material.

Driving Growth Through Innovation

The cryptocurrency-friendly attitude of the platform significantly contributed to its remarkable growth. Back in March, Telegram proudly declared surpassing the 900 million mark for monthly active users. This achievement was largely due to the platform’s commitment to privacy, security, and intuitiveness, which attracted an extra 50 million users within a mere four months. When Telegram’s CEO Durov spoke about the financial success of the company, he mentioned generating “significant revenues in the hundreds of millions” since launching advertising and premium subscriptions two years prior.

The inclusion of new elements such as Telegram Stars enables both Android and iPhone users to buy digital items within the app. This development brings the platform closer to achieving its target of 1 billion users in 2023; yet, we must wait and see if this goal becomes a reality.

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2024-07-23 15:40