Pavel Durov is the founder and sole owner of Telegram, a private messaging platform that reached 1 billion users in March 2025 and reported profitability in 2024 with more than $1 billion in revenue. Durov, Forbes-estimated at $17.1 billion, has defended strong privacy protections even as Telegram faced bans and criminal-use investigations. He was arrested in France in August 2024 amid inquiries into illicit uses of Telegram, later cooperated with investigators, and has also been involved in high-profile personal controversies and pronatalist initiatives.
Pavel Durov: The Founder Who Built Telegram Into a Global Powerhouse
Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, center, smiles following his meeting with Indonesian Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2017.Tatan Syuflana/AP
Pavel Durov is the founder and sole owner of Telegram, the encrypted messaging service that has grown into a major global platform. Built with his brother Nikolai in 2013, Telegram has become a key player in secure messaging, and Durov has maintained a high-profile, often controversial public persona around privacy, free speech and technology.
Early Career and Vkontakte
Durov was born in St. Petersburg during the Soviet era and first rose to prominence as the creator of the Russian social network Vkontakte in 2006. He sold a 12% stake in Vkontakte in 2015 for roughly $300 million and says he used much of the proceeds—more than $200 million—to fund Telegram. Durov has said he was forced out of Vkontakte in 2014 after refusing Kremlin demands for user data; state-linked entities later assumed control of the service.
Telegram's Growth, Finances, and Structure
Telegram reported reaching 1 billion users in March 2025 and is valued at about $30 billion. Durov told Le Point that he holds 100% of the company and there are no external shareholders. He said Telegram turned profitable in 2024, reporting more than $1 billion in revenue and about $500 million in cash reserves at year-end. The company raised roughly $2.4 billion through bond offerings between 2021 and 2024 and has used favorable market conditions to repay part of its accumulated debt.
Privacy, Moderation, and Global Tensions
Durov has consistently defended strong encryption and privacy. He argues that secure messaging must be available to everyone, a stance that has drawn both praise and criticism. Telegram has been blocked at times in countries such as Russia, Iran, China and Thailand. In response to misuse, Durov says Telegram removes millions of posts and channels daily and in 2024–2025 introduced changes to disclose IP addresses and phone numbers in response to valid legal requests for users who violate rules, and improved moderation tools—including AI-assisted systems—for Telegram Search.
Legal Troubles and Investigations
French police arrested Durov near Paris on August 24, 2024, as he attempted to board his private jet, citing an investigation into criminal activity allegedly facilitated via Telegram, including money laundering and trafficking. Durov contested the approach, calling it a misuse of outdated laws to hold a platform founder criminally liable for third-party actions. French travel restrictions imposed after the arrest were later eased to allow limited travel and, according to AFP, were fully lifted in November 2025 after his cooperation with investigators.
Personal Life, Controversies, and Philanthropy
Durov lives in Dubai, where Telegram's operations are based. He reportedly obtained UAE citizenship in 2021 and was naturalized as a French citizen in 2021. Durov has a prominent social-media presence and is known for outspoken posts and publicity stunts.
He has faced serious personal allegations: a 2023 Swiss complaint by Irina Bolgar accused him of abuse and failures over child support; Durov's representatives have disputed aspects of her account and provided a different version of events. Durov has also publicly discussed extensive sperm donations and funding IVF programs in Russia, saying he fathered many biological children through donations and that he funded fertility treatments for women willing to have children with his donations. In a June 2025 interview he said all his children, regardless of origin, will have equal inheritance rights but will not receive access to his fortune for thirty years to encourage independence.
Views on Tech, AI, and Other Leaders
Durov has criticized aspects of Silicon Valley culture and offered pointed assessments of fellow tech leaders, calling Elon Musk emotional, questioning Mark Zuckerberg's core values, and noting Sam Altman's social skills alongside potential technical limits. He warned that AI-driven change will be disruptive—especially for established professionals—while creating new opportunities and wealth.
Note: This article synthesizes reporting through November 2025 and reflects public statements by Pavel Durov and reporting by major outlets. Allegations reported here remain disputed in some cases; readers should consult original reporting for legal outcomes and primary documents.
Telegram founder had become a cult icon for antiauthoritarianism in the region.Peter Kovalev/TASS via Getty Images
Palm Jumeirah in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on January 10, 2022.Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov delivers his keynote conference during day two of the Mobile World Congress at the Fira Gran Via complex in Barcelona, Spain on February 23, 2016.Manuel Blondeau/AOP.Press/Corbis/Getty Images
Durov was arrested in France.Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch
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"So, if there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE," Elon Musk told "CBS Sunday Morning."Tom Brenner/The Washington Post/Getty Images
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