What is Telegram Stars: How to Get and Use Stars for Payments

In June 2024, Pavel Durov rolled out a new currency for Telegram called Stars. Now, you can use Stars to pay for digital goodies in mini-apps right within Telegram. While most messaging apps stick to just chatting, Telegram is stepping up its game, blending communication, work, and fun into one big ecosystem.

This isn’t Durov’s first shot at boosting commerce in the app. He tried launching his cryptocurrency TON, with blockchain and transactions, but authorities shut that down. TON eventually launched through third-party companies, but it’s still tightly integrated with Telegram.

So, why does Pavel want a new currency in Telegram? Who can use it? How do you get it, and what can you spend it on? Let’s break it down and see how handy this new Telegram currency, Stars, could be.

What are Telegram Stars?

Telegram Stars are a virtual currency created to facilitate transactions within the Telegram ecosystem. It is not a cryptocurrency, nor is it a full-fledged currency like the dollar, Stars are solely intended to simplify transactions within the messenger. These “stars” allow users to purchase various digital goods, services, and content without leaving the confines of the messenger. This innovation is another step by Telegram towards creating a comprehensive platform for communication, work, and entertainment. Alongside the release of Stars, developers also introduced a significant update to the bot platform and the payment system.

Why Were Telegram Stars Created?

The main reason is the rules set by Apple and Google. If an app is downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, the developer must use these stores’ payment mechanisms when selling digital goods and services, which means paying a commission.

Pavel Durov, Telegram’s founder, has often slammed Apple and Google for these commissions and didn’t stop users from finding ways around them. Bot or mini-app creators could get payments directly, but Apple threatened to kick Telegram out for breaking the rules. So, Telegram came up with Stars, their own internal currency for buying stuff.

Basically, Telegram now has its own wallet with a currency that you can use within the app’s ecosystem. You can’t use Stars to buy groceries or pay for a meal at a café. Instead, the Stars wallet acts as a buffer between you and the seller: you enter your card details once to buy Stars, and then you can spend those Stars safely wherever you want in Telegram.

Advantages of Using Telegram Stars

The biggest perk of Telegram Stars is their universality. They work in every country where Telegram is available, which is super handy for users who have trouble using their bank cards abroad. Plus, making payments with Stars is a breeze — just one click, and you’re done.

What’s really cool is that despite Apple’s strict rules about in-app purchases, Telegram Stars have found a way to get around these restrictions without breaking any App Store rules. This means iOS users can fully enjoy this new feature without any hassle.

Durov also claims that creating mini-apps for Telegram is more profitable than for Android and iOS due to significantly lower commissions:

What Can You Buy with Telegram Stars?

If you mainly use Telegram for chatting, you probably won’t see much difference. The changes come into play for users buying digital services through Telegram. This includes stuff like access to private channels, extra features and achievements in Telegram games, e-books, and online courses.

Technically, all digital services or products should be bought with Stars, and breaking this rule could get you banned. However, Telegram Premium doesn’t seem to follow this rule, as it’s still sold directly.

To show how Stars work, Telegram uses an example with “Durger King,” a made-up food delivery service. In this example, one star gets you a piece of cake. Right after you pay, the star goes back to your balance.

How to Buy Telegram Stars?

You can buy Stars in packs ranging from 50 to 2500 units. The prices and currency depend on your settings, especially your region. Right now, you can purchase Stars in two ways: through the App Store or Google Play using in-app purchases, or via the official @Premium Bot.

You can also buy stars using the @durgerkingbot bot. To get Stars, start the Durger King bot, choose the “Order Food” option, click the “Buy” button next to the cake image, and confirm your purchase. Easy as that!

How to Spend Stars

Stars are great for anyone doing business through Telegram’s payment services.

Buyers will need to use Stars to upgrade characters in mini-games, pay for services, subscribe to bots, and more. Buying physical goods stays the same and still uses traditional payment systems.

Sellers should know that all payments through bots are now made with Stars. Once you receive Stars, you can convert them into TON cryptocurrency in Telegram’s built-in wallet. From there, you can send it to another wallet or exchange, or trade it for regular money via P2P. You can also use Stars to advertise your product or service within Telegram.

Can You Withdraw Telegram Stars?

Right now, regular users can’t withdraw Telegram Stars to bank cards or convert them into other currencies. But developers and channel creators have that option. They can convert Stars into Toncoin cryptocurrency through the Fragment platform. Plus, they can use Stars to promote their own channels and bots. Telegram even offers a 30% discount when you transfer Stars to an internal account for advertising purposes.

Beware of Scammers

Scammers are Actively Using the New Currency Telegram Stars to Steal Valuable Data. Fraudsters have started spreading ads about selling Stars bypassing the App Store and Google Play platforms, promising favorable terms. The primary target of cybercriminals is users’ personal data, including access to the Telegram Wallet cryptocurrency wallet. Experts believe that the number of unscrupulous resources offering to sell the currency will only increase.