Telegram Launches Affordable Phone Number Verification Service

• Telegram offers a $0.01 verification service, cutting costs vs. traditional SMS methods.  
• New service enhances global user authentication, bypassing traditional SMS limitations.  
• Telegram expands in Central Asia, balancing compliance with privacy amidst legal challenges.

Telegram launched a new verification service that allows businesses to send authorization codes through its platform for just $0.01 per code. This service offers a more affordable and secure alternative to traditional SMS verification methods, which are often expensive and slower.

Telegram’s Goal: Streamlining Verification for Millions of Users

With over 950 million monthly active users, Telegram aims to make the verification process smoother and more secure.

Additionally, Telegram’s Verification Platform will allow businesses to avoid traditional SMS services, providing a simple way to authenticate users globally. Registered Telegram users can receive verification codes on any device without needing an active SMS plan.

This is important because SMS verification can cost up to 50 times more per code and often has delays, with failure rates reaching 5%. Pavel Durov, Telegram’s CEO, explained that the company has faced high verification costs for its user base.

However, Telegram also announced it is expanding its presence in Central Asia by opening an office in Kazakhstan. This will help ensure compliance with local regulations as the app works to maintain its reputation for privacy and security.

This is part of a broader policy shift for Telegram, which has been under increasing pressure from governments to cooperate on illegal content and data security. The company has started to adjust its policies to comply with government requests for user data when necessary, showing a change from its previous approach.

Despite this, Pavel Durov was recently arrested in France on serious charges and released on €5 million bail. Durov must report to the police twice a week, complicating his leadership role at Telegram.