Telegram is launching 50% ad revenue sharing next month using the TON blockchain

Pavel Durov, Telegram's founder and CEO, has declared that the Telegram Ad Platform will open to all advertisers in nearly a hundred new countries beginning in March. This move will allow channel owners in these regions to earn 50% of any revenue generated by Telegram from ads displayed on their channels.

To guarantee swift and secure ad payments and withdrawals, Telegram will utilize the TON blockchain exclusively. Revenue sharing with channel owners will be conducted in Toncoin, Telegram's native cryptocurrency. Durov stated, “This will create a virtuous circle, in which content creators will be able to either cash out their Toncoins — or reinvest them in promoting and upgrading their channels.”

Telegram's broadcast channels currently generate 1 trillion views per month. However, only 10% of these views are presently monetized via Telegram Ads, the platform's promotional tool.

Following the news, the TON token value surged almost 40% to surpass $2.92, while the broader CoinDesk 20 index (CD20) saw a 2.5% increase.

With this new development, Telegram joins the ranks of platforms such as YouTube and Twitter/X, both of which also provide ad revenue sharing with their users.