How to make a paid Telegram channel
A paid channel is a private channel people join only after paying, and leave when their subscription ends. Here are the ways to do it, how they differ, and how to launch one with crypto payments in a couple of minutes.
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Three ways to sell channel access
- Telegram's built-in Star subscriptions. You create a paid invite link that renews monthly. Easy for buyers, but you are paid in Stars: Stars bought through the App Store or Google Play carry store markups, and withdrawals go through Fragment after a waiting period.
- Custodial platforms. Your subscribers' money lands on the platform's balance first and is paid out to you on a schedule. Fees typically start around 10%, plus identity checks and a minimum payout. In return they often offer card payments and automatic renewal.
- A non-custodial crypto bot (this is how Kasa98 works). The buyer pays USDT or TON from their own wallet and 98% reaches your wallet in the same transaction. No balance, no withdrawals, no KYC.
How to launch a paid channel with Kasa98
- Create a private channel (or use an existing one) and open @Kasa98bot.
- Add the bot as an admin. It needs only two rights: invite users and ban users. It can't post or edit anything.
- Set your plans: up to five, for example one month, three months and a year, in USDT or TON.
- Paste your TON wallet address (Tonkeeper, MyTonWallet, Tonhub or the self-custodial Wallet in Telegram). Don't use an exchange deposit address.
- Get your buy link and add it to the channel description or a pinned post.
From there it runs on its own: the buyer approves one request in their wallet, gets a one-time invite link for one person, receives reminders 3 days and 1 day before expiry with one-tap renewal, and is removed automatically when the period and the grace period (1 day by default) end.
What it costs
| Kasa98 | |
|---|---|
| Fee | 2% per successful payment |
| Monthly fee | None |
| Withdrawals | Not needed: money is already in your wallet |
| Network fee | Paid by the buyer: ~0.01 TON (TON) or up to ~0.15 TON, mostly refunded (USDT) |
| First 10 sellers | 0% for 3 months |
How to sell more
- Offer a free trial: the bot grants free access for a set number of days, once per person.
- Use coupon codes for launches and partners.
- Offer discounted 3- or 12-month plans: crypto has no automatic charges, so longer plans reduce churn.
- Already have paying members elsewhere? Move them over with their end dates.
The honest part
Telegram asks bots to use Stars for digital goods sold inside the bot. Kasa98 doesn't use in-bot invoices: payment happens on an external page through TON Connect. That lowers the risk but doesn't remove it. USDT is issued by Tether, which can freeze addresses; TON has no such issuer.
Questions
Can I run a paid channel without cards or KYC?
Yes. With Kasa98 subscribers pay USDT or TON from their own wallet and 98% arrives in your wallet immediately. No identity check is required.
What happens when a subscription ends?
The bot reminds the member 3 days and 1 day before, then removes them automatically after the end date and a grace period (1 day by default).
Can I make a paid channel with Stars instead?
Yes, Telegram has built-in paid invite links billed monthly in Stars. It's a different route: you earn Stars and withdraw them through Fragment.