Telegram Attracts Global Investment with $1.5 Billion Bond Offer
Telegram, the encrypted messaging app, is offering $1.5 billion of bonds, attracting investors like BlackRock, Citadel, and Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the new five-year bonds provide a yield of 9% and include a 20% discount on a future IPO—an attraction that would entice institutional buyers. The money raised will go to buying back outstanding debt from a $1 billion bond issued in 2021 that matures in March 2026. Already Telegram has bought back $400 million of that earlier debt from internal sources.
Analysts Weigh In as Pre-IPO Equity Access Grows
Prominent industry voices like Mikko Ohtamaa, co-founder of Trading Strategy, have already weighed in on the Telegram bond sale. He described it as a unique opportunity for investors to acquire Telegram equity before a listing.
Legal Scrutiny Doesn’t Shake Investor Confidence
Despite legal headwinds, investor confidence remains high. Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, is being investigated in France for the alleged non-cooperation of the company over illegal content. The official says that Telegram complies with all legitimate requests.
In March 2025, Durov, detained in France the earlier year, was given provisional permission to return to Dubai, the operational center of Telegram. He took to social media to add, “I’ll be in Dubai the first week of June—you can expect good news.”
Strong Financials and Blockchain Vision Drive Optimism
Telegram’s financial results have boosted investors’ optimism. The organization registered a profit of $540 million in the year 2020 on revenue of $1.4 billion, a turnaround from the previous year’s loss. It is estimated that in 2025 it will generate $2 billion in revenue and more than $700 million in profit from paid subscriptions, advertising, and its Toncoin blockchain ecosystem features.
When the bond was issued, there was growing institutional interest in hybrid technology that falls between traditional finance and blockchain. Telegram is looking to monetize itself by mixing messaging with premium services and crypto tools. This shows digital platforms are becoming more important, if not invaluable, in displacing or shaping the financial infrastructure.
Toncoin Rises as New Leadership Takes Charge
Meanwhile, the token Toncoin from The Open Network (TON) rose 6% after Telegram made the news. The TON Foundation has also appointed former Visa executive Nikola Plecas as VP of payments to drive its global strategy, it announced.
Market Reaction and Strategic Positioning
The bond sale has not been commented on officially by Telegram, while neither BlackRock nor Citadel has replied to the media. Still, this deal shows that global investors are really keen on tech companies that work at the meeting point of communications and decentralized finance (DeFi).
