After a few years of Telegram being the “underrated” messaging app, there is no doubt that the app has been gaining traction. But that attention has had Telegram work on adding a lot of new features in a bid to improve the general user experience. Now, it looks like the app is looking to earn a little more cash from ads and features that will require users to pay for.

This was announced in a statement sent to all Telegram users across the world with a breakdown of how the company plans to do so while also maintaining its reputation.

Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, wrote the statement saying, “For most of Telegram’s history, I paid for the expenses of the company from my personal savings. However, with its current growth Telegram is on track to reach billions of users and to require appropriate funding. When a tech project reaches this scale, typically there are two options – start earning money to cover the costs, or sell the company.”

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In this statement that seems pretty personal to the users, Durov tried to make it clear that the app will continue to be as secure as possible and not lose its principles just for marketing purposes.

“The world needs Telegram to stay independent as a place where users are respected and high-quality service is ensured. Telegram must continue to serve the world as an example of a tech company that strives for perfection and integrity. And, as the sad examples of our predecessors’ show, that is impossible if you become part of a corporation,” Durov adds.

The “predecessors” can be viewed as a dig to firms like Facebook that still faces scrutiny for not valuing the privacy of its users across the globe.

Moreover, Telegram’s head made it clear that current features that are free will still remain free. This means that the app will have to add totally new features meant for business teams or premium users.

The ads will also not be as “intrusive” as we have seen on various platforms. This is because there will be a new Ad Platform for public one-to-many channels, one that is user-friendly, respects privacy and allows us to cover the costs of servers and traffic.

“This is the Telegram way. It will allow us to keep innovating and keep growing for decades to come. We will be able to launch countless new features and welcome billions of new users. While doing that, we will remain independent and stay true to our values, redefining how a tech company should operate,” Durov concludes.