MAX Messenger Surpasses 1,500 Channels as Russia Pushes for Super App Status
Russia’s national messenger MAX has passed a milestone of 1,500 channels, fueled by the arrival of top creators and an expanding audience. With strong security features and growing government integration, the platform is positioning itself as a competitor to Telegram—and perhaps as Russia’s answer to WeChat.
Rapid Growth
One of the key ingredients for any social platform’s success is attracting influential creators. They not only produce engaging content but also bring their established audiences. For MAX, the results are already visible.
The platform recently launched a new phase of channel testing, currently open to creators with more than 10,000 followers who are registered with Roskomnadzor, the national telecom regulator. Within just 24 hours of the announcement, the number of channels on MAX tripled, reaching more than 1,500.
Stars Converge on MAX
Prominent creators from VKontakte, Zen, Telegram, and Odnoklassniki are now experimenting with the new messenger. Among them are musicians Sergey Shnurov and Arseny Borodin, pop singer MaкSим, digital expert Alexey Tkachuk, bloggers Nikita Shulgin and Musim Ashurov, and science communicator Sergey Chumakov.
Channel testing began on July 14, and on September 17 MAX moved to an open beta stage. Participation is now available to “A+” category bloggers who meet the required criteria.
Security as a Priority
Launching channels is clearly intended to sharpen competition with Telegram, where the feature is hugely popular. To succeed, developers must guarantee robust information security—an area where MAX has placed strong emphasis.
The Security Center operates 24/7, monitoring user complaints. In August alone, 27,000 reports were submitted via the “Report” button, with an average response time of less than four minutes. Fraud detection is aided by automated systems.
Most recently, MAX introduced two-factor authentication, requiring users to add a password in addition to biometrics or device verification. Passwords must include both letters and numbers, with recovery options via email. New users or those logging in from unfamiliar devices are automatically prompted to enable the feature.
Monetization on the Horizon
The next challenge is monetization. Transparent and user-friendly tools for creators will be essential to attract and retain talent.
As of mid-September, MAX had more than 35 million users—an extraordinary leap from just 2 million in early July. Growth has been driven by several factors, including the app’s role as a core element of Russia’s digital infrastructure. Even during mobile internet disruptions caused by drone attacks, MAX maintained uninterrupted service.
The platform is evolving into more than just a messenger. With its integration into government services, MAX is fast becoming a utility where citizens can complete a wide range of tasks. For now, its focus is domestic, but international expansion may follow as security mechanisms mature.
