Telegram is great…when it works. Unfortunately, the crypto world’s favorite messaging app is prone to periodically going down due to technical failures and what seems like repeated attempts by the Russian security services to meddle. Over-reliance on Telegram is a classic case of over-centralization. For cryptocurrency projects seeking a fallback alternative, the following options are worth a look.
Also read: Japan’s SBI Unveils New Plans to Start an Exchange for Major Cryptocurrencies
Telegram’s Centralized Tech Can’t Be Trusted
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov embodies many of the qualities that cryptocurrency users espouse. In addition to being passionate about bitcoin, he’s defiant against governments that seek to backdoor or shut down his encrypted messaging app, refusing to be cowed. Durov is only one man though, and for political and technical reasons, his network is prone to sporadic outages. Pavel Durov might be trustworthy, but Telegram is obviously not.
When the network is knocked offline, it tends to affect specific regions, leaving members of some Telegram groups talking to themselves and others unable to connect. From cryptocurrency projects launching ICOs to bitcoin news teams working remotely, Telegram forms a vital hub. The next time that hub becomes temporarily unavailable, the following platforms can serve as substitutes – or even as permanent replacements.
Six Telegram Alternatives to Try
Slack: Slack is what everyone was using before Telegram. Crypto communities left en masse however when the phishing and spammy links got too much, and haven’t returned since. Slack’s still fine for keeping small communities and crypto teams in the loop, but for hosting open groups, such as ICOs, it’s unsuitable.
Discord: Discord is basically Slack for gamers, but even if you’ve never blasted your way through PUBG and don’t know your L2 from your
