Telegram's 2026 takedown surge tests OSINT investigators as platform stays above 1 billion users

Telegram takedowns surge, evasion persists

Telegram blocked more than 43.5 million channels and groups in 2025, with daily takedowns accelerating to a sustained 80,000 to 140,000 a day by early 2026.¹

Why it matters: Aggressive enforcement reshapes what OSINT investigators can collect from the platform without dislodging the criminal networks they track, since blocked communities typically re-form elsewhere.¹

Driving the news:

• Check Point Research measured takedowns climbing from a historical baseline of 10,000 to 30,000 a day to 80,000 to 140,000 a day, with single-day peaks above 500,000.¹
• About 20% of blocked channels were tied to business-affecting crime such as carding and hacking services, per the same research.¹
• Telegram founder Pavel Durov said the platform passed 1 billion monthly active users in March 2025.²

By the numbers:

• 43.5 million+ channels and groups blocked in 2025¹
• 80,000-140,000 daily takedowns by early 2026, up from a 10,000-30,000 baseline¹
• 500,000+ takedowns on peak single days¹
• 1 billion+ monthly active users as of March 2025²