The founder of the instant messaging app Telegram, Pável Dúrov, revealed in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson that Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, attempted to copy his ideas. Dúrov recalled a meeting with Zuckerberg and his team 10 years ago, where he shared details about his platform while still running the popular social network VK in Russia. Despite their initial interest, Zuckerberg and his team ended up trying to replicate Dúrov’s ideas, which he found outrageous.

The conversation between Dúrov and Carlson also touched on Telegram’s rapid growth to 1 billion users and its rivalry with WhatsApp. Dúrov credited the platform’s quality for its success, as users appreciate the innovative features and recommend Telegram to others. The expansion of Telegram’s digital wallet in Argentina, along with a collaboration with Tether to offer stablecoins within the app, aims to revolutionize peer-to-peer payments globally, making it as easy as sending a text message.

The meeting between Dúrov and Zuckerberg sheds light on the early days of iconic social media platforms and highlights the competitive nature of the industry. Despite an initial agreement to stay out of each other’s markets, both tech leaders took similar paths in expanding their platforms globally. Dúrov’s commitment to quality and innovation has driven Telegram’s success, attracting users who seek a superior messaging experience.