You can’t withdraw an unspent ad budget from a Telegram Ads account: as of October 2026, the platform’s terms say the balance can’t be withdrawn, moved to another account or refunded. Money paid in euros through a reseller can only be returned under that reseller’s contract. Channel owners’ ad rewards, on the other hand, can be withdrawn through Fragment in the Gram cryptocurrency (formerly Toncoin).
Which money can be withdrawn and which can’t
“Withdrawing money from Telegram Ads” usually means one of three situations: an advertiser wants unspent budget back, a reseller’s client wants to recover unused euros, or a channel owner wants to collect their share of ad revenue. The rules differ for each.
| Type of money | Withdrawable? | How and where |
|---|---|---|
| Balance of an ads.telegram.org account topped up with crypto | No | Can only be spent on ads; an ad’s remaining budget can be returned to the account’s overall budget |
| Stars spent on promoting a channel or bot | No | Usable only for ads |
| Euros in an account opened through a reseller | Depends on the contract | Request to the reseller; the reseller, not Telegram, returns the money |
| Channel ad rewards | Yes | Statistics → Monetization → Fragment, after KYC |
| Channel Stars (paid posts, gifts) | Yes, after 21 days | Fragment, or ads for your own channel |
What the Telegram Ads terms say about refunds
The Telegram Ad Platform Terms of Service (section 4.3) describe top-ups as advance-paid advertising credits that can be used only for ads and platform services. The same section states plainly that unspent balance cannot be withdrawn by the advertiser, transferred to a different account or refunded.
There’s also a time limit. Under section 4.4, the balance is considered forfeit after three years of continuous inactivity — a period in which no ads were displayed or purchased in the account. The contracting party is Telegram Messenger Inc, and the agreement is governed by English law. So the main way to avoid losing money is to top up gradually, in line with real campaigns.
How to return an ad’s remaining budget to your account
Money allocated to a specific ad isn’t stuck there forever. According to the Telegram Ads Getting Started guide, an ad’s budget can only be increased; it can’t be lowered after submission. To free up the funds:
- Open the ad in your account and stop it.
- Delete the ad — its remaining funds go back to the account’s overall budget.
- Create a similar ad with a smaller budget or reallocate the money to other campaigns.
- Check the Budget tab: it shows the history of spending and budget increases for each ad.
This works inside the account but doesn’t move money out. Before deleting an ad, save its statistics if you need them for reports.
Getting a refund from a reseller
Euro accounts are opened by resellers, so refund requests go to them, not to Telegram. This mostly concerns advertisers working through Russian resellers, who pay in rubles and receive closing documents. Each reseller sets its own terms in its public offer contract: some return only funds not yet transferred to the Telegram Ads account, others will also refund the account’s remaining balance. According to our reviews as of October 2026:
- Adsly states that it refunds the full amount, including its service fee, if the ad balance hasn’t been spent. It accepts payment in cryptocurrency only.
- ADELIX MEDIA says on its website that the balance can be withdrawn on request. However, we don’t recommend this service — see why we don’t recommend ADELIX MEDIA.
- Other resellers. Our reviews of other resellers don’t describe refund terms, so ask for them in writing before paying.
Before topping up, ask the account manager specific questions: is the remaining account balance refundable or only the balance held by the reseller; are the fee and the VAT on the fee (22% in Russia) refunded; at what rate are euros converted back to rubles; are there processing deductions; how long does a refund take. Get the answers in the contract or an email, not just a chat. How to compare intermediaries is covered in how to choose a Telegram Ads reseller, and vetted companies are listed in our resellers section.
Refund and withdrawal timelines
Telegram doesn’t publish timelines because refunds of ad balance aren’t provided for. Reseller refund times depend on the contract and payment method: usually a written request is needed, plus a wallet address for crypto payments; check with the manager which documents are required. If the timeline isn’t in the contract, ask for it in writing.
Channel owners’ rewards move faster. Under Telegram’s creator terms as of October 2026, Gram rewards can be withdrawn 2 days after they accrue and Stars after 21 days. According to the Russian outlet Kod Durova (May 2026), once you pass KYC on Fragment and confirm with your cloud password, the crypto is sent to your wallet. Step-by-step instructions are in how channel owners earn from Telegram Ads.
How to avoid losing money in Telegram Ads
- Top up to plan. Add enough for 1–2 months of campaigns, not “a year ahead”: the account balance can’t be withdrawn.
- Test on a minimum. Check creatives and channels on a small budget first, then scale.
- Read the reseller’s contract. The clauses on refunds, fees and conversion rate matter more than the service’s marketing promises.
- Never send money to “support” in private messages. Neither Telegram nor Fragment asks you to pay to “unlock” or “convert” a balance. Offers to “swap TON for GRAM” after the token’s rename are fraud.
- Double-check the wallet address. Fragment withdrawals are irreversible; a mistaken transfer can’t be reversed.
If the budget is already in the account and you no longer need the campaigns, the best option is to use it to test new audiences or promote your own channel. For the basic settings, see the step-by-step launch guide.
FAQ
Can I withdraw money from my ads.telegram.org account back to a wallet?
No. Under section 4.3 of the Telegram Ads terms, unspent balance can’t be withdrawn, transferred to another account or refunded. It can only be spent on ads.
What happens to the balance if I don’t use the account for a long time?
Under the platform terms, the balance is considered forfeit after three years of continuous inactivity, when no ads were shown or purchased. After that, Telegram may debit the remaining balance.
How do I lower the budget of a running ad?
You can’t do it directly: the budget can only be increased. Stop and delete the ad — the remainder returns to the overall budget — then create a new one with the amount you need.
Will a reseller refund its fee and VAT?
It depends on the contract. For example, according to our review, Adsly refunds the full amount including its fee if the balance is unspent. With other resellers, confirm the terms in writing before paying.
How does a channel owner withdraw ad earnings?
Open Statistics → Monetization, tap “Get on Fragment”, connect a TON wallet, pass KYC via Sumsub and confirm the withdrawal with your cloud password. Gram rewards become available after 2 days, Stars after 21 days.
Can I move the remaining balance to another reseller’s account?
Under the platform terms, funds in a Telegram Ads account can’t be transferred to another account. A transfer is only possible for money still held on the reseller’s own balance, and only if the reseller allows it.
