Yesterday, Telegram secured $330 million in investment through bond sales, according to its founder and CEO Pavel Durov.
Durov said the offering was oversubscribed, meaning more money was offered than Telegram asked for. The terms were also very favorable for Telegram.
While he didn’t name the specific investors, Durov said big global financial institutions put their money in because they see how quickly Telegram is growing.
Last year Telegram raised $210 million the same way. This time the bonds will mature in 2026 or if Telegram goes public, whichever happens first.
Going public is something Telegram is considering to remain independent, Durov told one newspaper. An IPO would let more people invest in the company.
Sources said the bonds issued this time pay 7.7% interest annually. They were priced at $91 each, up from $78 in the last round.
With over 900 million users, Telegram has been trying different money-making strategies like ads, premium subscriptions, and unique usernames on blockchain.
This major bond sale injection means Telegram has the funds to keep developing as the messaging app space gets ever more competitive.
