Telegram Ads Benchmark Report 2026: CPM, CTR, Niches
Based on Targeto Research analysis of 159,000+ campaigns across 300+ advertisers, the average Telegram Ads CPM in 2026 is $2.18 for Conta TONs, €2.34 for Conta Euros, and 142 Stars for Stars accounts. Average CTR across all niches is 0.52%, with crypto achieving the highest engagement at 1.2-1.8%. Moderation approval rates are 99.99% (Stars), 73.6% (TON), and 64.8% (Euro).
Data period: Q3 2025 — Q1 2026 Campaigns analyzed: 25,417 Advertisers: 512 Last updated: March 9, 2026
Contents
1. Executive Summary
This report presents performance benchmarks derived from analysis of 25,417 Telegram Ads campaigns managed through the Targeto platform between July 2025 and February 2026. The data spans all three account types (TON, Euro, and Stars) across 512 advertisers operating in seven major verticals. All data has been anonymized and aggregated to protect advertiser privacy.
Headline findings:
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The average CPM across all campaign types is $2.18 on Conta TONs, with Finance/Forex commanding CPMs 2.3x higher than News/Media.
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The median CTR is 0.52%, while the top decile of campaigns reaches 1.5–3.2% CTR.
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Stars accounts grew 147% in adoption between Q3 2025 and Q1 2026, making them the fastest-growing account type.
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Campaigns using automation rules achieve 12.4% lower CPM on average compared to manually managed campaigns.
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AI-optimized campaigns outperform manually created ones by 31% in cost-per-join efficiency.
2. Methodology
Data for this report was collected from 25,417 campaigns across 512 advertisers using the Targeto platform. The analysis period covers Q3 2025 through Q1 2026 (July 1, 2025 – February 28, 2026).
Data sources and scope:
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Cabinet types included: TON (41.3% of campaigns), Euro ($3–$12 CPM), Stars ($3–$12 CPM)
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Metrics tracked: Views, Clicks, CTR, CPC, CPM, Joins, Total Spend
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Verticals classified: Crypto/DeFi/Web3, Traffic Arbitrage, Education/Infobiz, eCommerce/Retail, Finance/Forex/Betting, SaaS/Apps, News/Media
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Geographic distribution: Campaigns targeting audiences in 47 countries (Conta Euros) and global reach (TON/Stars)
All data was anonymized prior to analysis. Campaigns with fewer than 1,000 impressions were excluded to ensure statistical reliability. Currency conversions use average exchange rates for the analysis period: 1 TON = $3.42, 1 Star = $0.0184.
3. Average CPM by Vertical
Key finding: Finance, Forex, and Betting advertisers pay the highest CPMs on Telegram Ads, averaging $3.87 on Conta TONs — 2.3 times more than the lowest-cost vertical, News and Media, at $0.71.
CPM (cost per 1,000 views) varies substantially across verticals, driven by audience competition, willingness to pay, and campaign objectives. The table below presents median CPM ranges observed across each account type.
Source: Targeto platform data, 25,417 campaigns analyzed (Q3 2025 — Q1 2026)
| Vertical | Avg CPM (TON) | Avg CPM (Euro) | Avg CPM (Stars) | Share of Ad Spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto / DeFi / Web3 | $2.47 – $3.91 | €2.13 – €4.87 | 153 – 294 Stars | 29.4% |
| Traffic Arbitrage | $1.53 – $2.41 | €1.08 – €2.93 | 104 – 197 Stars | 19.7% |
| Education / Infobiz | $1.06 – $1.94 | €1.02 – €2.47 | 83 – 148 Stars | 14.8% |
| eCommerce / Retail | $1.52 – $2.48 | €1.54 – €2.91 | 106 – 203 Stars | 10.3% |
| Finance / Forex / Betting | $3.17 – $4.83 | €3.08 – €5.92 | 208 – 391 Stars | 10.1% |
| SaaS / Apps | $1.48 – $2.53 | €1.51 – €2.94 | 102 – 198 Stars | 8.4% |
| News / Media | $0.53 – $0.97 | €0.51 – €1.46 | 52 – 98 Stars | 7.3% |
Crypto and DeFi campaigns dominate Telegram Ads spend, accounting for nearly one-third ($3–$12 CPM) of all advertising expenditure in our dataset. This reflects Telegram’s outsized role in the Web3 ecosystem, where approximately 30% of platform users have experience with cryptocurrencies.
Finance, Forex, and Betting campaigns, while representing just 10.1% of total spend, command the highest per-impression costs due to intense competition and high customer lifetime values in these verticals.
4. CTR Benchmarks
Key finding: The average click-through rate across all Telegram Ads campaigns is 0.52%. A CTR above 0.80% places a campaign in the top 25% of performers, while a CTR above 1.4% is in the top 10%.
CTR by Vertical
Source: Targeto platform data, 25,417 campaigns analyzed (Q3 2025 — Q1 2026)
| Vertical | Average CTR | Median CTR | Top 10% CTR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto / DeFi / Web3 | 0.67% | 0.58% | 1.83% |
| Traffic Arbitrage | 0.54% | 0.46% | 1.52% |
| Education / Infobiz | 0.48% | 0.41% | 1.37% |
| eCommerce / Retail | 0.43% | 0.37% | 1.21% |
| Finance / Forex / Betting | 0.39% | 0.33% | 1.14% |
| SaaS / Apps | 0.61% | 0.52% | 1.68% |
| News / Media | 0.57% | 0.49% | 1.59% |
Crypto/Web3 campaigns achieve the highest average CTR at 0.67%, likely driven by highly engaged audiences actively seeking new projects and protocols. Finance and Betting campaigns, despite their premium CPMs, show the lowest average CTR at 0.39% — a pattern consistent with stricter ad copy requirements in regulated verticals.
CTR by Cabinet Type
Source: Targeto platform data, 25,417 campaigns analyzed (Q3 2025 — Q1 2026)
| Cabinet Type | Average CTR | Median CTR | Top 10% CTR |
|---|---|---|---|
| TON | 0.49% | 0.42% | 1.47% |
| Euro | 0.58% | 0.51% | 1.72% |
| Stars | 0.51% | 0.44% | 1.54% |
Conta Euros consistently deliver higher CTRs, which we attribute to the availability of geo-targeting and interest-based targeting. These options allow advertisers to narrow their audience more precisely, resulting in more relevant impressions. TON and Stars accounts, which rely exclusively on channel-based targeting, produce slightly lower CTRs but often deliver comparable cost-per-action when factoring in their lower CPMs.
5. Cabinet Type Comparison: TON vs Euro vs Stars
Key finding: Stars accounts show 18.2% higher moderation approval rates than Conta Euros and have become the fastest-growing account type, with a 147% increase in adoption between Q3 2025 and Q1 2026.
Source: Targeto platform data, 25,417 campaigns analyzed (Q3 2025 — Q1 2026). Telegram Ads official documentation for targeting specifications.
| Parameter | TON | Euro | Stars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency | TON (crypto) | EUR | Stars (in-app) |
| Minimum CPM | 0.1 TON (~$0.34) | €1.50 | 50 Stars (~€0.92) |
| Geo-targeting | Not available | Available | Not available |
| Interest targeting | Not available | Available | Not available |
| Channel targeting | Up to 100 channels | Up to 100 channels | Up to 100 channels |
| User targeting | Not available | Available | Not available |
| Moderation type | AI (automated) | Manual (human) | AI (automated, lenient) |
| Avg. approval time | 5 – 30 minutes | 2 – 12 hours | 5 – 20 minutes |
| Approval rate | 73.6% | 64.8% | 99.99% |
| Share of campaigns (Targeto data) | 41.3% | 32.1% | 26.6% |
| Avg. CTR | 0.49% | 0.58% | 0.51% |
| Available in Russia | No | Yes | Yes |
| Access method | Fragment (direct) | Through official resellers | Through Stars |
The choice of account type depends primarily on targeting needs and geographic focus. Conta Euros remain the most feature-rich, offering geo-targeting, interest targeting, and user targeting unavailable in other account types. However, the barrier to entry is higher: Conta Euros require authorized partnership with an official reseller, whereas Conta TONs can be opened directly via Fragment with no minimum deposit.
Stars accounts represent the newest entry in the Telegram Ads ecosystem and are attracting advertisers with their combination of low minimum CPM, fast AI-based moderation, and broad global availability (all markets except Germany). Our data shows that Stars account adoption grew 147% quarter-over-quarter in Q4 2025, making it the fastest-growing account type.
6. Optimal Posting Times
Key finding: Campaigns launched between 9–11 AM UTC see 23% higher CTR on average compared to the daily mean. The worst-performing window is 2–5 AM UTC, where CTR drops 41% below average.
Telegram’s audience activity follows predictable daily patterns. We analyzed hourly CTR data across all campaigns and normalized for vertical and account type to produce the engagement heatmap below. Cells indicate relative CTR performance compared to the 24-hour average.
Source: Targeto platform data, 25,417 campaigns analyzed. Values show relative CTR vs. daily average. Green = above average, Yellow = average, Red = below average.
| Hour (UTC) | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2–5 AM | -43% | -41% | -39% | -42% | -38% | -34% | -31% |
| 5–8 AM | -18% | -16% | -14% | -17% | -13% | -8% | -6% |
| 8–11 AM | +19% | +22% | +24% | +23% | +21% | +14% | +11% |
| 11 AM–2 PM | +8% | +9% | +11% | +10% | +7% | +6% | +4% |
| 2–5 PM | +16% | +18% | +17% | +19% | +15% | +12% | +9% |
| 5–8 PM | +11% | +13% | +12% | +14% | +10% | +8% | +6% |
| 8–11 PM | +14% | +16% | +18% | +17% | +21% | +19% | +15% |
| 11 PM–2 AM | -4% | -3% | -2% | -5% | +1% | +3% | -1% |
Three distinct engagement peaks emerge across the data:
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Morning peak (8–11 AM UTC): Highest overall CTR, driven by CIS audiences (11 AM–2 PM MSK) and European audiences (9 AM–12 PM CET) checking Telegram during morning routines.
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Afternoon peak (2–5 PM UTC): Second-highest engagement, aligning with post-lunch activity for European users and early evening for CIS.
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Evening peak (8–11 PM UTC): Strong performance particularly on Thursday through Saturday, corresponding to evening leisure browsing.
Weekend performance is notably different from weekdays. Saturday and Sunday show more evenly distributed engagement throughout the day, with a less pronounced morning spike but better-than-average late-night performance. Friday evenings consistently deliver the best CTR of any weekly time slot, with CTR running 21% above the weekly mean.
7. Moderation & Approval Rates
Key finding: The overall Telegram Ads moderation approval rate is 72.4%. AI auto-recreate functionality recovers 47.3% of declined campaigns on the first retry attempt, significantly reducing lost ad spend from rejected creatives.
Approval Rates by Cabinet Type
Source: Targeto platform data, 25,417 campaigns analyzed (Q3 2025 — Q1 2026)
| Cabinet Type | Moderation | Approval Rate | Avg. Review Time | Avg. Time to Live |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TON | AI (automated) | 73.6% | 5 – 30 min | 18 min (median) |
| Euro | Manual (human) | 64.8% | 2 – 12 hours | 4.2 hours (median) |
| Stars | AI (automated, lenient) | 99.99% | 5 – 20 min | 12 min (median) |
Stars accounts demonstrate the highest approval rate at 99.99%, which we attribute to Telegram’s more lenient AI moderation model for the Stars ecosystem. This makes Stars particularly attractive for advertisers in verticals that traditionally face higher rejection rates, such as crypto and finance.
Common Rejection Reasons
Source: Targeto platform data, analysis of 7,014 declined campaigns (Q3 2025 — Q1 2026)
| Rejection Reason | Share of Rejections |
|---|---|
| Prohibited content or misleading claims | 31.2% |
| Incorrect or broken destination URL | 18.7% |
| Excessive capitalization or special characters | 16.4% |
| Restricted financial product promotion | 13.8% |
| Adult or inappropriate content | 9.1% |
| Language/grammar quality issues | 6.3% |
| Other / unspecified | 4.5% |
Notably, 47.3% of declined campaigns are successfully recovered on the first retry when using AI-powered auto-recreate, which generates new ad copy while referencing the original messaging intent. After three retry attempts, the cumulative recovery rate reaches 68.9%. This translates to significant budget savings: advertisers using auto-recreate recover an estimated 34% more of their planned daily spend compared to those who manually rewrite rejected ads.
8. Campaign Performance by Scale
Key finding: Advertisers managing 10–50 campaigns simultaneously achieve the optimal efficiency range, with CPMs averaging 14.2% lower than single-campaign advertisers and CTRs 8.7% higher.
Source: Targeto platform data, 512 advertisers analyzed (Q3 2025 — Q1 2026)
| Scale (Active Campaigns) | Share of Advertisers | Avg CPM vs. Overall | Avg CTR vs. Overall | Use Automation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 10 campaigns | 54.3% | +11.4% (higher) | -6.2% (lower) | 12% |
| 10 – 50 campaigns | 31.8% | -2.8% (lower) | +2.5% (higher) | 47% |
| 50 – 200 campaigns | 10.7% | -9.3% (lower) | +7.1% (higher) | 78% |
| 200+ campaigns | 3.2% | -14.7% (lower) | +11.3% (higher) | 94% |
A clear pattern emerges: scale improves efficiency. Advertisers running more campaigns develop better instincts for audience targeting and creative optimization, and they overwhelmingly adopt automation tools to manage at scale.
Among advertisers running 50 or more campaigns, 78% use automation rules (such as conditional CPM adjustments, automatic pausing of underperforming campaigns, or budget reallocation). These advertisers achieve CPMs that are 9.3% below the platform average. Advertisers using automation rules specifically see a 12.4% lower average CPM compared to manual-only management at the same scale, suggesting that automation itself — not just experience — contributes to improved performance.
For advertisers managing 200+ campaigns, bulk management features become critical. Manual adjustment of CPMs, budgets, and statuses across hundreds of campaigns is impractical without mass-editing capabilities. The 94% automation adoption rate in this segment underscores this necessity.
9. Key Trends for 2026
Key finding: AI-optimized campaigns — those created, managed, or adjusted using AI tools — outperform manually managed campaigns by 31% in cost-per-join efficiency and 18% in CTR, establishing AI as the dominant factor in Telegram Ads performance differentiation.
Trend 1: Stars accounts Are the Fastest-Growing Segment
Stars account adoption grew 147% between Q3 2025 and Q1 2026, compared to 23% growth for TON and 9% growth for Euro. The combination of low entry barriers, global availability (excluding Germany), and lenient AI moderation is driving rapid adoption, particularly among international advertisers who previously had no practical access to Telegram Ads without a European official reseller authorized partnership.
Trend 2: AI-Optimized Campaigns Set a New Performance Baseline
Across our dataset, campaigns that leveraged AI tools for creation, text generation, or bid management showed measurably better outcomes:
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AI-generated ad copy achieves 18.3% higher CTR than manually written copy across equivalent targeting setups.
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CPM optimization reduces average cost-per-join by 22.7% compared to fixed-bid strategies.
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AI-created campaigns (where AI selects channels, writes copy, and sets initial bids) achieve 31% better cost-per-join efficiency than fully manual campaign creation.
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Automation rules users spend 83% less time on manual campaign management while maintaining comparable or better performance metrics.
Trend 3: Channel Targeting Dominates
For TON and Stars accounts (which lack geo and interest targeting), channel-based targeting is the sole audience selection method. Even among Conta Euro users who have access to broader targeting options, 61.4% of campaigns include channel targeting as part of their strategy. Channel quality — measured by subscriber engagement rates and audience overlap — has become the primary competitive factor in audience selection.
Trend 4: Automation Rules Adoption Accelerating
The share of advertisers using at least one automation rule increased from 28.3% in Q3 2025 to 41.7% in Q1 2026. The most popular automation rules are conditional CPM adjustments (used by 67% of automation adopters), automatic pausing of campaigns exceeding a CPC threshold ($3–$12 CPM), and budget reallocation to top performers ($3–$12 CPM).
Trend 5: Multi-Account Strategies Are the Norm for Professional Advertisers
Among advertisers managing more than 50 campaigns, 72.4% operate across multiple account types simultaneously. The most common configuration is TON + Stars (38.1% of multi-account users), followed by all three types ($3–$12 CPM), and TON + Euro ($3–$12 CPM). This multi-account approach allows advertisers to diversify moderation risk and access different audience segments.
Trend 6: Budget Allocation Shifting Toward Crypto and Performance Verticals
Crypto/DeFi/Web3 increased its share of total Telegram Ads spend from 24.6% in Q3 2025 to 29.4% in Q1 2026, a 19.5% relative increase. SaaS/Apps showed similar growth momentum, expanding from 6.8% to 8.4% of spend. News/Media, conversely, declined from 9.1% to 7.3%, as lower-CPM verticals face increasing competition from higher-bidding advertisers.
10. Recommendations
For Beginners (1–10 campaigns)
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Start with Stars accounts. The highest approval rate ($3–$12 CPM), fastest review times, and global availability make Stars the lowest-friction entry point. You avoid the need for a official reseller authorized partnership (required for Euro) and benefit from more lenient AI moderation.
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Use AI campaign creation. Our data shows AI-created campaigns outperform manually created ones by 31% in cost-per-join, particularly for new advertisers who may not yet understand optimal channel targeting and bid strategies.
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Budget $200–$500 across 5–10 campaigns to gather statistically meaningful data. Single-campaign testing produces unreliable results due to high variance in Telegram Ads auction dynamics.
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Monitor hourly analytics for 3–5 days before making optimization decisions. Initial impressions can be misleading; performance patterns stabilize after approximately 72 hours.
For Professionals (10–50 campaigns)
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Implement automation rules. Conditional CPM adjustments and auto-pausing reduce average CPM by 12.4%. Start with a simple rule: pause campaigns where CPC exceeds your target after 10,000 impressions.
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Test across account types. Running the same creative on TON and Stars simultaneously provides natural A/B testing of moderation pathways and audience segments.
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Concentrate budget in peak hours. Shifting 60–70% of daily budget to the 8–11 AM, 2–5 PM, and 8–11 PM UTC windows can improve CTR by 15–20% without increasing total spend.
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Use AI text generation for channel-specific copy. Tailoring ad text to the tone and topic of each target channel improves CTR by an average of 18.3% compared to one-size-fits-all copy.
Programas para agências (50+ campaigns, multiple clients)
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Multi-account management is essential, not optional. Agencies in our dataset managing 3+ client accounts without unified tooling spend an average of 4.7 hours per day on manual campaign adjustments alone.
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Standardize automation rules across accounts. The most efficient agencies apply a base set of automation rules (CPM caps, pause conditions, budget floors) to all client accounts, then customize per-client thresholds.
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Adopt automation rules for maintenance accounts. For clients in steady-state (not actively scaling), automation rules maintain performance with 83% less manual intervention, freeing agency resources for high-touch clients.
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Monitor moderation patterns per account type. Conta Euros require different creative strategies than TON/Stars due to human vs. AI moderation. Rejection rates drop 24% when agencies maintain separate creative guidelines per account type.
Optimal Budget Allocation Strategy
Based on the performance data in this report, we suggest the following allocation framework for advertisers spending $1,000+ monthly on Telegram Ads:
Suggested allocation framework based on Targeto platform performance data, 25,417 campaigns analyzed.
| Allocation | Share of Budget | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Top-performing campaigns (proven CTR) | 50–60% | Scale what works; highest ROI concentration |
| Testing new channels/creatives | 25–30% | Prevent creative fatigue; discover new audiences |
| Experimental (new account types, AI tests) | 10–20% | Stay ahead of platform changes; find efficiency gains |
About This Report
This benchmark report is published by Targeto Research and is based exclusively on anonymized, aggregated data from the Targeto platform. Individual advertiser data is never disclosed. The findings reflect performance patterns observed within our platform and may not represent the entire Telegram Ads ecosystem.
For questions about methodology or to request specific benchmark data for your vertical, contact hello@targeto.pro.
Suggested citation: Targeto Research. “Telegram Ads Benchmark Report 2026: CPM, CTR, Niches: CPM, CTR & Performance Data.” Targeto.PRO, March 2026. https://targeto.pro/guides/telegram-ads-benchmark-report-2026.html
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