Blocked Telegram: How Russian Crypto Enthusiasts Can Adapt and Earn, 2026/04/01 00:00:01

Opinion Today, April 1, a complete block of Telegram in Russia was scheduled to commence. The Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) has been throttling the most popular messenger for several weeks. What changes for crypto investors?

Current Situation with Telegram

The operation of Telegram services in Russia began to be slowed down on February 10. Roskomnadzor cited non-compliance with Russian legislation as the reason. On February 26, it was announced that a “final decision” had been made to block the messenger.

Nevertheless, Telegram services, from messaging to applications, remain accessible in Russia, albeit with difficulty. Recently, the Federal Antimonopoly Service acknowledged that even a ban on Telegram advertising is currently impossible, as “business entities need time to adapt to the new rules.”

Anton Gorelkin, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, recently stated that he is certain that even a complete ban on VPN services is not currently under discussion by the authorities.

“This tool is actively used; nothing better has been devised in the business environment. A VPN ban would have a severely negative impact on the development of our digital economy,” the state news agency TASS quoted Gorelkin.

According to the OONI service, the accessibility of Telegram in Russia remains at 40%—this represents the proportion of individuals who can use this service without resorting to special means. To completely block the “most popular messenger,” it would be necessary to entirely cut off the internet or leave only so-called “whitelists” across all networks, effectively creating an intranet isolated from the outside world.

What About Alternatives?

— What alternatives to Telegram have you or your acquaintances found, if any? In which messenger or social network do the people around you, your most frequent interlocutors, communicate most often?

Dmitry Machikhin, founder and CEO of the BitOK platform:

— We haven’t actively sought an alternative to Telegram. For work, we still occasionally use corporate messengers like Slack or Discord, but they are also not fully accessible at the moment. Thus, there is currently no pressing need to replace Telegram at all costs.

Ivan Tikhonov, founder of Bits.media:

— Rather, we have been searching for effective methods to maintain existing communication channels. Additionally, we are considering several alternative options for the future, should current methods cease to function. Jumping between messengers seems pointless, as others will also face the risk of being blocked as they gain popularity.

Sergey Mendeleev, CEO of Exved, author of the Telegram channel “Mendeleevshchina”:

— There are no alternatives to Telegram. Not because there are no other messengers—there are plenty of them. The issue lies in the absence of an alternative ecosystem created by Telegram. This is the key point. It is not just a messenger. The main achievement of Telegram is the creation of mini-apps and mini-applications. Previously, you had to hire a team and go to an Apple Store, which was a cumbersome process. Now, you can simply code a mini-app for Telegram using web coding on the fly. Alternatively, you can even use a bot. Marketing and promotion remain, which Telegram fully provides. The entire process takes about a thousand dollars and one day.

Moreover, the quality of the remaining audience on the messenger is a concern. This quality will generally not deteriorate. If you cannot install the necessary program to use Telegram on your phone—then what value do you bring?

Sarkis Darbinyan*, cyber lawyer, co-founder of “Roskomsvoboda”:

— It is difficult to find a replacement for Telegram in terms of convenience and functionality. However, if we are discussing simple and effective solutions for Russia, I primarily recommend Deltachat. It is a truly anonymous, decentralized, and open-source messenger developed by a community of enthusiasts. While it has less functionality, it operates on the old reliable IMAP/POP3 protocol. Despite the current extreme technological censorship, it is unlikely that Roskomnadzor will block all email services. The most dangerous alternative messenger appears to be Telega, where messages are transmitted without encryption and with certificate substitution, acting as a middleman and routing traffic through Russian servers.

How Can Crypto Projects Manage Without Telegram?

— If a crypto project must abandon Telegram as a tool, how should it best organize support, where can it find replacements for Telegram bots, and where should it post news?

Denis Polyakov, head of the “Digital Economy” practice at GMT Legal:

— Most crypto projects operate through foreign companies, so a Telegram ban in Russia, even if it shifts from a technical to a legal dimension, as was the case with Instagram**, will not impact the projects. Moreover, crypto projects, by their very nature, cannot be fully legally promoted in Russia: starting August 2024, there will be a ban on offering services related to the circulation of digital currencies. Consequently, the ban on Telegram will not make such circulation any more illegal.

Depending on the project’s main characteristics, such as the specific functionality available on the crypto platform and the promises made by the operating company, some crypto projects may still maintain a certain level of compliance with legislation, using appropriate wording in their advertising materials and public documents, even under such bans.

Ivan Tikhonov, founder of Bits.media:

— I would not abandon Telegram. I would keep an eye on where the project’s users are, to make it more convenient for them. It is practically impossible to predict what new regulations might come from officials.

Business primarily focuses on where its potential audience is located. That is where they will operate. If the blocks do not have a significant impact, then there is no point in panicking.

Dmitry Machikhin, founder and CEO of the BitOK platform:

— Everything heavily depends on geography. Yandex services perform reasonably well, but they are still not the same. Therefore, if a project has an international audience, there are not many alternatives.

Sarkis Darbinyan*, cyber lawyer, co-founder of “Roskomsvoboda”:

— I like Matrix and its client Element, and I also appreciate Deltachat. However, there is no better platform for bots than Telegram. Of course, there are also WhatsApp Business and Discord, but they are all blocked. I don’t think we should change our habits and platforms. According to our estimates, about 30% of the Russian internet population already had VPNs last year. I believe that by the end of this year, that figure could reach 50%, bringing Russia closer to Iran.

What Will Happen to the Telegram Wallet?

— How popular and convenient do you think the Telegram wallet is? What alternatives should be recommended to those who only have a Telegram wallet?

Dmitry Machikhin, founder and CEO of the BitOK platform:

— The Telegram wallet has not gained the audience it aimed for. It is a very niche use case. If someone is only using the Telegram wallet, it might be wise to consider other options, as due to the blocks, it may not always be accessible when needed.

Ivan Tikhonov, founder of Bits.media:

— The built-in Telegram wallet is convenient for small transactions. However, I cannot recommend keeping large sums in a custodial wallet with almost no technical support, especially considering the current statistics on Telegram account hacks.

Sarkis Darbinyan*, cyber lawyer, co-founder of “Roskomsvoboda”:

— The Telegram wallet itself admits to freezing transfers to a number of sanctioned exchanges and services, including Garantex, Grinex, Bitpapa, Suex, Chatex, Cryptex, and PM2BTC. This confirms that the service acts as a full-fledged AML/KYT filter rather than a neutral wallet. There are many other wallets available in Telegram, such as Tonkeeper and Tonhub. Furthermore, non-Telegram solutions like Trust and Metamask offer excellent products for those in need of fast and secure wallets.

What Future Awaits Telegram Channels?

— Where should the audiences of Telegram channels go now? Where is the best place to follow the news? Or, conversely, is it better not to leave but to stay in the familiar messenger by any means?

Sergey Mendeleev, CEO of Exved, author of the Telegram channel “Mendeleevshchina”:

— Telegram channels set the agenda. The audiences of the largest channels consist of millions of subscribers, generating millions of views. These are serious media outlets that can directly compete with television.

Roskomnadzor and similar organizations continue to actively maintain Telegram channels, where they discuss how they will destroy the very platform. If I were Pavel Durov, I would have long ago demonstratively banned all such individuals. And not just banned them, but also given their usernames to some unsavory characters to post unpleasant content in those channels. I admire and applaud Durov’s restraint. I could not do that.

It is said that MAH is installed on a hundred million devices. I think the actual number of users is significantly lower. The main issue is that this audience is completely irrelevant. These are school teachers, minor municipal officials. Businesspeople, at best, have MAH installed on a separate device that they showed to someone once, and now it sits at home unused. Thus, you cannot promote anything through MAH.

As for me, I will not work with any project that claims to send notifications via MAH. No offense intended. I will choose the project that sends notifications via Telegram. This is not a matter of technology or anything else; it is a matter of hygiene.

Sarkis Darbinyan*, cyber lawyer, co-founder of “Roskomsvoboda”:

— If one is to leave, it should be towards decentralization. This means that Matrix, Deltachat, and SimpleX are the right path. Our community should not move to a government messenger under any circumstances. I would never suggest a centralized solution without end-to-end encryption, which meticulously packages every packet for law enforcement under the “Yarovaya Law.” One could also choose not to leave, but then a reliable VPN is necessary—however, it is currently quite easy to fall into a “honey pot,” especially for those seeking free solutions.

Dmitry Machikhin, founder and CEO of the BitOK platform:

— It is essential to remain where one is accustomed and utilize all means to keep Roskomnadzor at bay. I personally consider its blockade illegal, as it violates fundamental provisions of the Constitution and restricts freedom of information. Despite the fact that the blocks are sanctioned by some law, the Constitution still takes precedence.

Ivan Tikhonov, founder of Bits.media:

— For news, it is best to follow Bits.media))

New cryptocurrency restrictions in Russia: how will this work

*The Ministry of Justice recognized as a foreign agent.

**The organization is recognized as extremist, and its activities are banned in Russia.