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Telegram Is Getting Ready To Paywall Some Features
The good news is that the premium subscription won’t limit non-premium users in any way because all existing features will remain free.
Since its launch in 2013, cross-platform messaging app Telegram has gained over 550 million monthly active users. To continue providing unrivaled limits on chats, media, and file uploads, Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, has recently announced the plan to launch a paid premium subscription plan.
According to Durov, a portion of Telegram’s user base has been asking for even higher limits than what the messaging app currently offers. Unfortunately, that’s not something Telegram can afford to do for all of its 550 million monthly active users because its infrastructure expenses would skyrocket.
“After giving it some thought, we realized that the only way to let our most demanding fans get more while keeping our existing features free is to make those raised limits a paid option,” Durov explains. “That’s why this month we will introduce Telegram Premium, a subscription plan that allows anyone to acquire additional features, speed, and resources.”
The subscription plan should be available later this month, and some of the features it will unlock were previewed in a recent version of Telegram. According to information obtained by people who analyzed the beta version, the plan should cost $4.99 a month, which is only half of what Discord charges for its Nitro subscription.
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The good news is that the introduction of the premium subscription won’t limit non-premium users in any way because all existing features will remain free. What’s more, they will be able to view extra-large documents, media, and stickers sent by premium users, and more.
As such, the introduction of the premium subscription plan seems like good news all around because it enables Telegram to become an even better version of itself without depending solely on ad revenue, which would give advertisers the power to indirectly influence the future of the messenger. Would you pay for the Telegram premium subscription?
News
Influencer Growth Fuels Saudi Creator Economy Surge
The Kingdom’s creator economy grew over 32% in Q1 2025, fueled by TikTok, UGC, and cost-per-action (CPA) influencer models.
Saudi Arabia’s creator economy saw a significant 32.37% growth in the first quarter of 2025, driven by an uptick in influencer marketing, content-driven e-commerce, and the increasing influence of user-generated content (UGC). These insights come from a recent study by Admitad and the Stllr Network.
Much of this momentum is coming from video-based platforms, where brands are leaning on creators who feel more relatable than polished ad campaigns. The trend shows a clear preference for authenticity, as audiences gravitate toward content that feels real and personal.
Mohannad Alzahrani, Co-founder and VP KSA of Stllr Network, highlighted the shift: “The rise of user-generated content (UGC) is changing the way brands engage with consumers. Audiences trust real creators more than traditional advertising, making UGC a key driver of authenticity and sales”.
TikTok remains the dominant platform in this space, reportedly reaching 88% of the Saudi population. It also showed the sharpest rise in influencer-led transactions. Other platforms followed with solid, if less dramatic, growth: X was up 17%, Instagram increased by 12%, and Telegram by 10%.
In terms of content niches, beauty led the pack with a 56% growth rate, followed by lifestyle at 45.8% and fashion at 18.2%. Tech content also showed healthy traction at 10.6%, while entertainment, food, fitness, parenting, and gaming posted smaller — but still positive — gains.
Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2025
The report analyzed more than 300,000 influencer-driven purchases. These efforts translated into a 15% year-on-year jump in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and a 5% increase in the number of orders in 2024. Influencers themselves are seeing the benefit, with average order values hitting $54 and creator earnings rising by 14%.
A noticeable trend is the move away from fixed-rate deals. More influencers in Saudi Arabia are embracing hybrid compensation models — especially cost-per-action (CPA) setups that tie their earnings directly to performance.
As Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad, explains, “The CPA model brings much-needed transparency to influencer marketing. Brands only pay for actual results, and influencers benefit by securing long-term partnerships while offering their audiences exclusive promo codes and special discounts”.
However, the ecosystem still shows a gender imbalance. The data indicates that 63% of creators in Saudi Arabia are men, while women account for just 37%.
Influencer Growth Fuels Saudi Creator Economy Surge
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