What just happened? Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has celebrated the communications platform hitting one billion monthly active users by calling rival WhatsApp a “cheap, watered down imitation.” Durov recently returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to a criminal investigation related to criminal activity on Telegram.

Durov revealed that Telegram had reached one billion monthly active users on his own personal channel. That marks an increase of 50 million users compared with last year. He also said that the company had recorded $547 million in profits in 2024.

The CEO also took a shot at rival WhatsApp, which has more than 2 billion monthly active users.

“Ahead of us stands WhatsApp – a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram. For years, they’ve desperately tried to copy our innovations while burning billions on lobbying and PR campaigns to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and – unlike our competitor – retained its independence,” Durov wrote.

In August 2024, Durov was arrested by the Air Transport Gendarmerie (GTA) on the tarmac of Le Bourget airport in France. He was apprehended shortly after stepping off his private jet following a flight from Azerbaijan.

French authorities said that Durov’s arrest was part of an investigation into Telegram’s failure to moderate alleged criminal activity on the app. Days after his arrest, Durov was charged with multiple offenses, including failing to curb CSAM and other extreme material, and released on bail.

He was placed under formal investigation and banned from leaving the country – the Russian-born billionaire became a French citizen in 2021 and also holds a United Arab Emirates passport.

French media reports indicate that a judge modified the conditions of Durov’s bail several days ago and allowed him to leave France for several weeks. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that his judicial restrictions were relaxed from March 15 to April 7.

“The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home,” he said. “I want to thank the investigative judges for letting this happen, as well as my lawyers and team for their relentless efforts in demonstrating that, when it comes to moderation, cooperation and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations.”

Telegram has tried to pivot to a law-abiding platform since Durov’s arrest. It is collaborating with US agencies to provide IP addresses, phone numbers, and other critical information for user identification, fulfilling hundreds of data requests impacting thousands of individuals.

Telegram also now has a team of moderators dedicated to identifying criminal activity on the platform, and the company joined the Internet Watch Foundation as part of its crackdown against CSAM.