Telegram Ad Market: ₽28B
The Telegram advertising market in 2026 was supposed to reach 28 billion rubles. Instead, it found itself on the verge of collapse. In March 2026, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) officially recognized advertising placement in the messenger as a violation of the law, leaving the market in uncertainty. Some advertisers had already curtailed campaigns, others froze budgets awaiting a blocking decision. However, despite the crisis, Telegram remains one of the country's main advertising platforms: 18 billion rubles in 2025, potential up to 28 billion in 2026, millions of active users, and thousands of bloggers for whom the messenger has become the main source of income. We delve into who earns what from Telegram advertising, why the market is in jeopardy, and what comes next.
Market Volume: 18 Billion in 2025, 28 Billion – An Unfulfilled Record
The figures cited by experts are impressive. By the end of 2025, the volume of advertising budgets for influencer marketing in Telegram amounted to 18 billion rubles. In addition, targeted advertising in the messenger added another 20 billion rubles in 2025. The total monetization volume within Telegram itself, according to the Association of Bloggers (ABA), exceeded 8.5 billion rubles per year.
The growth dynamics were impressive. The share of advertising budgets attributable to Telegram grew from 15 to 25% after the ban on advertising in Instagram*. 79% of surveyed companies noted increased interest in Telegram advertising after the blocking of foreign social networks. Approximately 30% of advertisers increased their budgets for promotion in Telegram in 2025, with 43% of them experiencing growth of over 20%. 70% of brands planned to increase investments in native advertising on Telegram in 2026.
The forecast for 2026 was even more optimistic. According to Telega.in, the market could grow to 28 billion rubles. "In 2026, Telegram had the potential to reach 20–30 billion rubles in turnover. By the end of 2025, the figures were around 2–3% of all digital inventory. But Telegram had huge potential, which, it seems, will no longer be realized," comments Andrey Kuvaitsev, Head of Social Media Promotion at i-Media agency.
However, these plans were disrupted by the FAS decision, which left the market in limbo.
What Happened in March 2026: FAS vs. Telegram
On March 5, 2026, the Federal Antimonopoly Service officially confirmed that placing advertisements in the Telegram messenger is now a violation of Russian law, as "measures to restrict access" are being taken against it. The agency recommended that advertisers and agencies analyze the content placed on information resources with restricted access.
The market's reaction was instantaneous. In the first days after the FAS statement, 15–25% of planned advertising campaigns in the messenger were suspended or curtailed. Small and medium-sized businesses adopted a wait-and-see approach. Market losses from a complete Telegram blockade are estimated at 20–30 billion rubles.
In the event of a complete Telegram ban, the advertising segment could contract by 15–20%, making it the largest decline in the last 5 years, believes Vladimir Burshtein, Development Director at iBuro20/80 strategic agency. Total losses from the slowdown of the two main advertising platforms of recent years – Telegram and YouTube – could reach 75 billion rubles.
Advertising Price Growth: +32% Annually
Despite the crisis, Telegram advertising prices showed steady growth. According to MTS AdTech, in 2025, the cost of advertising placement in Telegram channels increased by an average of 32%.
- News channels: prices for long-term integrations (from one month) more than tripled – from 11.4 thousand to 63.2 thousand rubles for microchannels and from 41.6 thousand to 115 thousand rubles for medium-sized ones.
- Large author blogs: growth of 13–144%; prices for top bloggers can reach over 1 million rubles per integration.
- Category "Marketing and Advertising": growth of 48–135% in micro and small channels.
At the same time, the overall growth in Telegram channel reach for the year was only 9%. Only personal blogs and media managed to offset media inflation with accelerated audience growth: the reach of news microblogs increased by more than 700%, and medium-sized ones by almost 220%.
Analysts predicted that prices would continue to rise in 2026 – by 15–25% overall, and in the news segment by more than 30%. However, after the March FAS events, this forecast came into question. Experts note that in the event of additional restrictions on Telegram, prices for large channels could increase by another 20–40%, while small ones would be forced to undercut prices.
Who Earns: From Microbloggers to Millionaires
The Telegram advertising market in 2026 includes not only top channels with millions of subscribers but also thousands of small creators. Income structures and work formats vary depending on the channel size.
Subscriber Cost: From 40 to 150 Rubles
In 2026, the cost of attracting a "live" subscriber in Telegram varies depending on the niche:
- Financial niche: 60–150 rubles per subscriber
- IT and marketing: 40–90 rubles per subscriber
- Influencers and public experts: cost increases by 3–5 times
However, experts emphasize: not just the number of subscribers is important, but real reach and engagement. "The cost of a real 'live' subscriber in the financial sector can vary from 60 to 150 rubles. In second place is IT and marketing – 40–90 rubles. Authorship greatly affects the price: if it's an influencer, media personality, or public expert, the cost can increase by 3–5 times," notes Kristina Demenkova, Head of Blogger Relations at X5 Blogger platform.
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