Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) confirmed on social media platform X that he does not use Telegram and denounced all accounts under his name as fake. He cited the platform's open direct messaging system as the primary issue, which led to excessive spam that overwhelmed his device, causing significant lag. Zhao disclosed that he had previously raised these concerns directly with Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.
In a swift public response, Durov acknowledged Zhao's feedback and revealed it had inspired new anti-spam measures on Telegram. He credited CZ with suggesting the paywall concept, which allows users to charge a fee for incoming messages from unknown contacts. The feature uses Telegram's in-app currency, Stars, with a maximum cap of 10,000 Stars (approximately $130) set by Durov himself to prevent abuse. Additionally, the system now shows sender details like account age and verification status before replies are sent.
While some users welcomed the update for giving celebrities control over their inboxes, critics argued the fee cap might be insufficient to block persistent spammers. The exchange highlights ongoing debates about security and usability on messaging platforms popular within crypto communities.