I'm not sure why that would be a problem. Telegram could easily make bitcoin and/or cash a payment option like countless VPN providers have. No "real info" necessary.
Yes, countless VPN providers do need your payment details. And that is a risk. The comfort in that risk however is that anyone with knowledge of your VPN payment still doesn't know what you did with that VPN. With a messaging app however, you are risking your entire online identity.