Telegram to Raise $1.5B in Bond Sale Backed by BlackRock, Citadel, and Mubadala

Tech

Telegram to Raise $1.5B in Bond Sale Backed by BlackRock, Citadel, and Mubadala

Telegram, the popular messaging app, is planning to raise $1.5 billion by selling bonds, a way for companies to borrow money from investors, as per the Wall Street Journal report. Big names like BlackRock, Citadel, and Mubadala are interested in buying these bonds. The bonds will last for five years and offer a 9% return to investors each year. The money Telegram raises will be used to pay off old debt from a loan it took in 2021. If Telegram decides to go public (sell shares on the stock market), these bonds could also turn into company shares at a lower price, which could be a win for investors.

Telegrams Finances Are Looking Strong

Telegram has made a big comeback this year. In 2024, it earned $1.4 billion and made a profit of $540 million. Thats a major turnaround from 2023, when the company lost $173 million. Telegram says it could make over $700 million in profit next year. The companys growth comes from new ways to earn money, like selling ads, digital gifts, and creating a platform where developers can build apps and bots.

Telegram also has over 1 billion users each month and now has 15 million people paying for extra features, double what it had last year.

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Toncoin Shoots Up After the News

Telegram is also connected to a cryptocurrency called Toncoin (TON), which is part of The Open Network, created by Telegram. After the bond news came out, Toncoin jumped by over 13%, reaching around $3.38. The coin often reacts to Telegram news. For instance, last August, it dropped 18% after Telegrams CEO, Pavel Durov, was arrested, but it bounced back when he was released.

Visa Veteran Joins to Boost TON Payments

The TON Foundation, which supports Toncoin, announced a major hiring of former Visa executive Nikola Plecas, who is now in charge of payments. He‘ll focus on improving TON’s payment features, building partnerships, especially with Telegram, and making sure everything follows regulations.

Telegram‘s big bond move, solid profits, and TON updates show it’s getting serious about both finance and crypto.