4 Messengers Investors Are Interested In

Messengers have become an integral part of the digital world, where real-time communication is increasingly important for both people and businesses. In recent years, platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Discord have firmly established themselves in the market, attracting millions of users. For investors, messengers have become a promising avenue, offering significant growth potential. But how effective is it to invest in this sector right now?

Let’s explore the prospects by examining some leading messengers and their potential.

On a global scale, the messenger market shows steady growth. According to Statista, by the end of 2023, the number of messenger users surpassed 3.1 billion. By 2027, this figure is expected to rise to 3.5 billion. This creates significant opportunities for investors, especially in areas such as monetization through ads, subscriptions, e-commerce, and corporate solutions.

The messenger market is expected to grow by 7-9% annually over the next five years, driven partly by the increased consumption of digital services and growing interest in secure communication amidst ongoing discussions about data security.

Key investment opportunities in messengers include: payment services within messengers (WhatsApp Pay, WeChat), automation bots (Telegram), business solutions for companies (Microsoft Teams, Slack, Discord), advertising, and sponsored content.

Now, let’s take a closer look at key projects and their investment potential.

WhatsApp: The Undisputed Leader, but with Monetization Challenges

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messengers worldwide, owned by Meta Platforms (Facebook). By the end of 2023, WhatsApp had over 2.7 billion active users globally. Its simple interface and free messaging/calling features have made it a favorite among millions.

Meta, having acquired WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion, struggled for a long time to find a successful monetization model. Although WhatsApp continues to grow, the issue of commercialization remains.

In 2023, Meta intensified its efforts to monetize the platform. They launched WhatsApp Business, an app for companies that allows customer interaction through the platform. This service has been successful for small businesses in India and Brazil.

Payment features (WhatsApp Pay) were also launched in India and Brazil, with plans for global implementation. However, monetization challenges persist. The platform struggles to introduce ads without compromising the user experience. Users appreciate the ad-free environment, posing a dilemma for the company: monetize more aggressively or maintain user loyalty.

Telegram: Rapid Growth and Investor Attention

Since its launch in 2013, Telegram has gained 950 million active users, and the number continues to grow rapidly. Growth is especially noticeable in countries with strict internet regulation, where Telegram is positioned as a secure and free messenger.

Telegram has attracted significant investor attention due to its flexible architecture and support for open-source technologies. The platform offers channels and bots for brand promotion and business operations, groups with virtually unlimited members, and confidential chats with high-level encryption.

However, Telegram faces a serious issue — monetization. As of 2023, Telegram still lacked a stable revenue model. The company’s main focus has been on launching Telegram Premium, a subscription service with enhanced features. There are also plans to increase the use of ads in public channels.

Despite its ambitions, Telegram faces several challenges. Primarily, the lack of stable income: monetization has yet to yield significant results. As a private company, Telegram is not required to publish financial reports. What is known is that the company operates at a loss. Before his arrest, Durov mentioned that the messenger may only become profitable by 2025.

Another significant challenge is regulation and messenger bans. In some countries (e.g., Iran, China), the platform is blocked.

Signal: Security as the Main Priority

Signal is one of the most secure messengers on the market, with 40 million active users. Its popularity surged amid data privacy scandals and widespread information leaks. Signal offers a robust end-to-end encryption system and caters to users concerned about privacy.

Signal struggles with monetization due to its philosophy as a non-profit project. The app contains no ads and offers no paid features, limiting its potential as an investment object. Signal relies on donations from users and foundations, which hinders its sustainable growth.

From the above, we understand that Signal’s main challenge is the lack of a sustainable business model. While users highly value its security, the long-term outlook is uncertain unless stable revenue streams are found.

Discord: From Niche Project to Global Platform

Discord was launched in 2015 as a communication platform for gamers but has since transformed into a fully-fledged universal messenger, used by communities of all kinds. By 2023, Discord had over 300 million registered users and 150 million active monthly users.

One key reason for Discord’s success is its flexibility: users can create servers for communication, set up discussion channels, host video calls, and even stream games or events. Unlike other messengers, Discord is focused on community-building and allows users to deeply integrate the platform into their daily lives.

Discord uses the Nitro model — a paid subscription that offers enhanced features such as improved video and audio quality, the ability to create custom emojis, and more. This model has proven successful and brings significant revenue to the company.

Additionally, in 2021, Discord secured $500 million in investments, valuing the company at $15 billion, underscoring strong investor interest.

Let’s explore why Discord has become popular and continues to attract users. First, Discord easily connects people with shared interests, creating large active communities. Second, the platform can be used not only for communication but also for collaboration, which is especially important in the era of remote work. Third, its unique integration with gaming and streaming: Discord's robust ecosystem makes it an ideal tool for gamers and content creators. The main challenge for Discord is competing with other corporate solutions such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, which are also developing teamwork capabilities.

Conclusion

Investing in messengers remains attractive for investors due to their vast user base and monetization potential. However, each project faces unique challenges. WhatsApp struggles with ad implementation, Telegram seeks stable revenue streams, Signal confronts sustainability issues, and Discord is expanding its functionality and audience.

For investors, understanding not only the current potential but also the risks associated with regulatory restrictions, data privacy, and market competition will be key. Messengers continue to evolve, creating new opportunities for growth and investment.

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