Telegram is the messaging app many Malaysian business owners know about but rarely plan around. Customers follow deal channels, students join tuition groups, and fans read news channels there every day. Yet when you ask “how many Telegram users are in Malaysia?”, the answers online range from a few million to almost 20 million.
This guide sorts out that confusion. It puts the official and published figures side by side: Bernama’s reported user count, the regulator’s 8-million-user licensing rule, the national census and MCMC’s own survey. It then explains why Malaysians use Telegram, and what the platform’s trust problems mean for brands.
At ZenWeb, a Google Partner agency serving 500+ Malaysian businesses, we use these numbers when planning budgets. They tell us whether Telegram deserves a slice, or whether WhatsApp, Meta and Google should take it all.
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If you have never used Telegram yourself, this short video walks through the features that draw users to it, from channels to cloud storage.
Source video: Teleblog, Watch on YouTube. The video covers app features; the user figures in this article are Malaysia-specific.
Quick Answer: No source has published an exact 2026 count. The most recent figure is about 15 million Telegram users in Malaysia, reported by Bernama in March 2024. From 1 January 2026, MCMC also treats Telegram as a platform with 8 million or more Malaysian users. So plan with a working range of 8 to 15 million.
| Source (data year) | What it measures | Telegram figure |
|---|---|---|
| Bernama (March 2024) | Reported number of users in Malaysia | About 15 million |
| MCMC licensing rule (from 2026) | Platforms named as having 8 million+ Malaysian users | 8 million or more |
| Statista / DataReportal (Q3 2024) | Monthly use among internet users aged 16–64, APAC | Highest share in APAC |
| DOSM MyCensus 2020 (released 2023) | People aged 15+ who listed a Telegram account | 3.7 million (23.2%) |
| MCMC Internet Users Survey 2018 | Communication-app users owning a Telegram account | 25.0% of 27.8 million |
Sources: Bernama, 3 March 2024; Bernama report on MCMC’s deemed-licensing rule, 15 December 2025; Statista chart based on DataReportal, We Are Social and Meltwater, Q3 2024; DOSM MyCensus 2020: Population Well-Being (Social Relations); MCMC Internet Users Survey 2018. Each source uses a different base and year, so the figures are not directly comparable.
The headline number comes from Bernama’s March 2024 report on Telegram, which said the platform “now has about 15 million users in Malaysia”. The floor comes from Bernama’s report on MCMC’s 8-million-user rule, which names Telegram among the platforms deemed licensed from 1 January 2026.
Why is the census figure so much lower? The DOSM MyCensus 2020 social relations release only counted people aged 15 and over who answered a social media question in 2020. Human Resources Online’s summary of the census shows that base was 16.0 million people. Many Telegram users also see it as a chat app, not social media.
For the full base these shares sit on, see our breakdown of internet users in Malaysia.
Quick Answer: At about 15 million, Telegram users in Malaysia put the app in the country’s middle tier. It is close to Instagram’s 16.1 million ad reach and well behind YouTube and Facebook at about 23 million each. It is larger than LinkedIn, Messenger, X and Threads. WhatsApp still leads every messaging measure.
| Platform | Audience size | Millions |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok (18+)* | 30.7 | |
| YouTube | 23.6 | |
| 23.0 | ||
| 16.1 | ||
| Telegram (2024 report) | ~15.0 | |
| LinkedIn (members) | 10.0 | |
| Messenger | 9.6 | |
| X | 4.8 | |
| Threads | 3.6 |
Sources: Bernama, 3 March 2024 (Telegram users); DataReportal, Digital 2026: Malaysia (advertising reach, late 2025). *TikTok counts users aged 18+ only. Telegram’s figure is a user count, the others are ad-reach estimates, so treat the comparison as a rough guide. Bar length is relative to TikTok.
The other platforms’ numbers come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Malaysia data. Telegram does not appear in those tables, as it publishes no ad-reach estimate for Malaysia. Here is how to read the chart:
For every platform in one view, our social media statistics for Malaysia brings them together.
Quick Answer: Telegram went from a quarter of chat-app users in 2018 to about 15 million users by 2024. Along the way it moved from refusing government requests to holding a Malaysian licence in January 2025. Today it is one of six platforms MCMC names as having 8 million or more Malaysian users.
| Year | Milestone | Telegram figure |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | MCMC survey: share of communication-app users | 25.0% (~7.0m*) |
| 2020 | National census: people 15+ listing Telegram | 3.7 million |
| 2024 (March) | Minister meets Telegram’s founder; takedown cooperation agreed | About 15 million |
| 2025 (January) | Telegram receives its MCMC platform licence | 3rd platform licensed |
| 2025 (June) | Minister reports Telegram’s takedown compliance | Under 50% acted on |
| 2026 (January) | Deemed licensed as a platform with 8m+ Malaysian users | 8 million or more |
Sources: MCMC Internet Users Survey 2018; DOSM MyCensus 2020; Bernama (3 March 2024, 6 January 2025, 15 December 2025); Free Malaysia Today (10 March 2024); New Straits Times (28 June 2025). *25.0% of 27.8 million communication-app users, ZenWeb’s calculation. The 2018 and 2020 figures use different bases.
Each milestone tells part of the story:
Telegram’s climb also mirrors wider phone use. Our smartphone users in Malaysia data shows why mobile-first apps keep gaining ground.
Quick Answer: Malaysians use Telegram for scale and convenience that WhatsApp does not offer. Channels have no subscriber limit, groups hold up to 200,000 members, files can reach 2 GB, and chats live in the cloud. It is used to follow news and deals, join big communities and share large files, not to replace WhatsApp.
| Feature | Official limit | Who it draws (ZenWeb view) |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcast channels | Unlimited subscribers | News readers, deal hunters, fans of creators |
| Large groups | Up to 200,000 members | Students, hobby clubs, investor and crypto communities |
| File sharing | 2 GB per file (4 GB Premium) | Tuition centres, designers, office teams |
| Cloud chats | Synced across devices | People who work on laptop and phone together |
| Admin privacy | Posts signed by channel, not person | Brands and admins who do not want to share a phone number |
Sources: Telegram FAQ and Telegram Channels FAQ (official limits). The “who it draws” column is ZenWeb’s assessment from client work in Malaysia, not survey data.
The limits come from Telegram’s official FAQ and its channels FAQ. Put simply, Malaysians open Telegram for three jobs:
That is why Telegram rarely replaces WhatsApp. Most users keep both. Our comparison of Telegram vs WhatsApp Channels shows which broadcast tool suits which brand, and our WhatsApp Channels guide covers the other side. Chinese-speaking audiences may lean on WeChat instead, as our WeChat marketing guide explains.
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Quick Answer: Telegram is legal and licensed, but it carries more trust risk than other platforms. In June 2025 the communications minister said Telegram acted on fewer than half of MCMC’s takedown requests, the lowest of any major platform, and MCMC sued Telegram and two channels. Brands should protect their name there.
The New Straits Times report from June 2025 covered requests from 1 January to 26 June that year. For a business, the risks look like this:
Payment is another trust point. Telegram sellers usually take bank transfers or e-wallet payments, so link only to official payment pages. Our e-wallet usage in Malaysia data shows which apps customers prefer. Broadcasts also fall under data protection law, which our guide to consent rules for broadcasts explains.
Quick Answer: With 8 to 15 million Telegram users in Malaysia, the platform is worth testing if your buyers follow deals, news or communities. Keep it as a supporting channel. Search, Meta Ads and WhatsApp still carry most Malaysian SME sales, and Telegram works best feeding loyal followers back into them.
Here is the five-step plan we suggest for Malaysian businesses weighing up Telegram:
Telegram fits best inside a full digital marketing plan, alongside Google Ads, Meta Ads and SEO. If your products are highly visual, Pinterest users in Malaysia may be another niche worth a look.
Quick Answer: Telegram users in Malaysia number roughly 15 million, with the regulator confirming at least 8 million. Malaysians use it for channels, big groups and file sharing alongside WhatsApp. For brands it is a useful supporting channel, as long as you guard your name against fakes and measure real sales.
These Telegram users Malaysia figures show a large audience with a different job from WhatsApp. People follow and gather on Telegram; they buy after search, ads and chat. Plan for that role and Telegram can add steady repeat business.
If you want help deciding where Telegram fits in your channel mix, our digital marketing team can map it out with you.
About 15 million, according to Bernama’s March 2024 report. No newer count has been published. MCMC also names Telegram among the platforms with 8 million or more Malaysian users under its licensing rule from 1 January 2026.
No. WhatsApp leads every measure, with about nine in ten internet users on it. In MCMC’s 2018 survey, 98.1% of chat-app users had WhatsApp against 25.0% for Telegram. Most Telegram users keep WhatsApp too.
Yes. Telegram received its MCMC platform licence on 2 January 2025, the third platform to do so. From 2026 it is also deemed licensed as a platform with 8 million or more Malaysian users.
Mainly for broadcast channels with unlimited subscribers, groups of up to 200,000 members, file sharing up to 2 GB and cloud-synced chats. People use it to follow news and deals and to join large communities.
Yes, through Telegram Ads, which show short sponsored messages in public channels. Telegram does not offer the age and interest targeting that Meta does, so most Malaysian businesses test it with a small budget first.
Cite this page: ZenWeb (2026). Telegram Users Malaysia 2026: How Many Use It and Why. https://zenweb.my/blog/telegram-users-malaysia/
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