Yandex Ad Network Expands Into MAX
Yandex has launched beta testing for monetizing channels in the MAX messenger. Both private and public channels with at least 1,000 subscribers are eligible to participate.
Today, more than 21,000 channels and blogs across messaging platforms, social networks, and video services such as VK and Rutube already use the Yandex Ad Network. In the first phase, 2,000 of them will gain access to advertising within MAX.
Room for Expansion
MAX is steadily evolving into a full-scale media platform where creators can generate revenue, advertisers gain new inventory and reach, and users are likely to see a broader range of higher-quality content.
The national messenger has already reached second place in Russia by daily active audience, averaging 65.5 million users. That scale creates strong appeal for advertisers and for Yandex, which has spent years building a successful advertising and B2B tech business and now works with 620,000 active advertisers.
Advertising on Autopilot
Monetizing the content platform marks a new phase in the development of Russia’s domestic advertising ecosystem. MAX’s role as infrastructure is reinforced by its inclusion on the mandatory pre-install list for all devices sold in the Russian market.
Following the initial onboarding of the first 2,000 partners, Yandex plans to expand monetization access to additional channels. The company says it will introduce a fully automated system for placing ad posts as early as May. Channel owners will be able to select a publishing strategy and delegate execution to a dedicated bot. At the same time, they can continue creating ad posts manually and earn revenue both from impressions and from targeted actions.
Stages of Content Monetization
In 2023, Yandex introduced an automated advertising tool for Telegram channels through its ad network. According to the company, this allowed channel owners to generate 1.7 billion rubles (approximately $22 million) in 2024.
Last year, the company deployed ARGUS, a recommendation technology based on generative AI. “By the end of 2025, the use of neural technologies increased the overall efficiency of Yandex’s advertising system by 38%,” says Alexey Shtokolov, Director of Products and Artificial Intelligence at Yandex Advertising. The system now analyzes user behavior across a full year instead of a two-week window, enabling more precise ad targeting.
More recently, Yandex expanded the capabilities of its AI assistant in Yandex Direct. The updated tool reduces campaign setup time to about 10 minutes by automating the entire workflow and increases conversion rates by 30%.
Messenger as Part of the Economy
Yandex is now bringing its proven ad network model into MAX, lowering launch risks by building on existing infrastructure. Advertisers gain access to familiar tools on a new platform with a large and growing audience. Meanwhile, rapidly improving AI systems enable more accurate targeting and stronger returns on ad spend.
Growth in the number of monetized channels on MAX is expected to accelerate this year. By 2027, the national messenger could become a significant component of Russia’s digital economy.
