Telegram Stars buyers spent on gaming outside Telegram at a higher rate than Premium subscribers
Share of U.S. app-store Telegram payers with an observed Roblox, console, Twitch, or major game-publisher purchase from August 18, 2025 through August 18, 2026
Share with observed gaming spend outside Telegram
Source: YipitData U.S. e-receipt panel. Telegram Stars-only buyers n=1,817; Telegram Premium-only subscribers n=2,977. Only Apple- and Google-billed Telegram purchases are observed. Analysis completed August 18, 2026.
Chart data
| Series | Share with observed gaming spend outside Telegram |
|---|---|
| Telegram Stars-only buyers | 37.8% |
| Telegram Premium-only subscribers | 25.7% |
What are Telegram Stars and Telegram Premium?
Telegram Stars are virtual items used to buy digital goods and services inside Telegram, while Telegram Premium is an optional subscription that unlocks additional features. [Telegram Stars Terms] [Telegram Premium FAQ]
How much did the Telegram Stars and Premium audiences overlap?
Only 354 of 2,171 Telegram Stars buyers also held Premium, or about 16%. Crypto-exchange overlap moved in the opposite direction from gaming: 10.0% of Stars-only buyers had an observed exchange receipt, compared with 12.1% of Premium-only subscribers. These are concurrent wallet relationships, not evidence that either Telegram product changed external spending.
Telegram Stars buyers’ higher gaming rate persisted within both age groups
Share with observed external gaming spend by Telegram product and available age band, August 2025–August 2026
Share with observed external gaming spend
Source: YipitData U.S. e-receipt panel. Under 35: Stars-only n=411, Premium-only n=428. Age 35+: Stars-only n=707, Premium-only n=1,119. Gender was unavailable in this analysis.
Chart data
| Series | Share with observed external gaming spend |
|---|---|
| Stars-only — under 35 | 48.4% |
| Premium-only — under 35 | 41.1% |
| Stars-only — age 35+ | 39.9% |
| Premium-only — age 35+ | 31.5% |
Assumptions & Methodologies
We analyzed established U.S. e-receipt panelists with Apple- or Google-billed Telegram purchases from August 18, 2025 through August 18, 2026: Stars-only n=1,817, Premium-only n=2,977, and both n=354. Stars receipts named Telegram Stars; Premium included monthly, annual, and weekly subscriptions and excluded Nicegram. Gaming outside Telegram covered Roblox, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, Twitch, and major game publishers; crypto covered observed exchanges. Purchases paid through Telegram’s other direct payment methods were unavailable, so the reported rates may undercount true activity. The analysis measures activity observed in the same period, not sequence, substitution, or causality; age was the only available demographic control.