A billionaire with wealth surpassing 17 billion U.S. dollars, a technological pioneer, a rival to the Russian government, and a fervent advocate for freedom of communication—these descriptions define “Pavel Durov.” Since founding Russia’s first social media platform in 2006 up to the present,
the latest major news introducing this man to the world is his detention in Paris under a French arrest warrant, accused of, as Telegram’s CEO, "allowing criminal activity without platform oversight and failing to cooperate with police" in 2024.
Another notable global online development is about the handsome CEO’s lifestyle and interviews where he revealed he has been donating sperm continuously for 15 years and is committed to caring for the women and all his children born from it, promising to leave his inheritance to over 100 children worldwide (in addition to six children he has with his wife).
Pavel Durov is co-founder and current CEO of Telegram, a chat application similar to Meta’s WhatsApp. The key difference lies in security: Telegram does not store chat records and allows users to create Secret Chats, giving them freedom in communication. However, this has become a double-edged sword, as some use it to spread false information, distort facts, and even commit crimes.
Although many countries have tried to ban the app, Telegram still maintains nearly a billion monthly users and has generated immense wealth, creating another global tech billionaire. In this article, Thairath Money’sHow to Make Moneycolumn introduces Pavel Durov, the handsome Russian billionaire who fights steadfastly for digital communication freedom and is a figure that governments worldwide fear.
“Pavel Durov” was born in 1984 in Russia, which was then the Soviet Union. His family moved to Italy when he was four years old and returned to Russia after 1991, following the Soviet Union’s collapse. His father later worked at St. Petersburg State University.
During his childhood, Durov grew up with an older brother, Nikolai Durov, a math prodigy who appeared on Italian TV solving math problems live and won multiple gold medals at the International Math Olympiad. Pavel himself was the top student at school and competed locally.
“We both were passionate about coding and design.”In an interview, Pavel Durov recalled that when his family moved back to Russia, they brought an IBM PC XT from Italy and started learning coding themselves. This was in the 1990s, giving the brothers opportunities that few Russian children had.
Pavel Durov’s early coding path led to his first tech business, which became Russia’s popular social platform when he launched “Vkontakte” or VK in 2006, a social media platform resembling early Facebook but tailored for Russia.
At just 21 years old and shortly after graduating university, Pavel Durov became a rising star in technology, earning the nickname “Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg.”
However, the platform’s popularity led to unexpected uses. Early social media had weak content filtering, and VK was used to organize protests in Kyiv in 2013 against pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Consequently, the Kremlin demanded VK hand over Ukrainian users’ personal data to the Russian government, but Pavel Durov refused, prioritizing user privacy, straining relations with the Russian government.
“For me, it was never about money. Everything in my life has been about seeking freedom, and as much as possible, my life’s mission is to enable others to have freedom too.” Pavel Durov said.
“I don’t want to take orders from anyone.”
That decision led him to sell all his approximately 12% stake in VK for over 300 million U.S. dollars, be removed as CEO, and paved the way for Putin’s close associates to take control. Today, VK is under government control.
After stepping down, Pavel Durov faced intense pressure and self-exiled from Russia in 2014 after Russian SWAT raided his home. Abroad, he used proceeds from the sale to start a new venture with his brother, creating “Telegram.”
Founded in 2013 with Nikolai Durov as co-founder and chief engineer and Pavel Durov as CEO, Telegram entered a crowded market with established players like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, but gained popularity due to its strong privacy features.
“It doesn’t matter how many messaging apps exist if, in the end, they’re of poor quality,”he told TechCrunch in 2015.
Telegram’s origin came from Pavel’s experience with the Kremlin and his desire to build a secure platform free from state surveillance. Its strong encryption and commitment to user privacy led to explosive growth.
Though launched later, Telegram attracted massive interest, operating in 155 countries worldwide, with 38% of users in Asia, 27% in Europe, 21% in Latin America, and 8% across the Middle East and North Africa combined.
Telegram also developed its own network called “The Open Network” or “TON,” an open, decentralized internet system designed for community-driven applications using Telegram technology. It features a cryptocurrency also called “TON,” used for transactions, gaming, and exchanging collectibles on the network.
. According toreports, Telegram generated 342 million U.S. dollars in revenue in 2023 through premium services and the TON cryptocurrency.
However, a platform designed for communication freedom has become a double-edged sword. Its strong security also opens the door for malicious users. In 2015, terrorists used Telegram to plan attacks in Paris. Reports continue that Telegram hosts violent content, hate speech, misinformation, and distorted information across many chat groups.
After leaving Russia, Pavel Durov moved to Dubai and obtained UAE citizenship, having previously obtained French citizenship. Telegram’s main operations are based in Dubai, and Durov frequently travels around Europe.
Currently, after his detention by Paris police, Pavel Durov is restricted from leaving the country. Meanwhile, countries worldwide increasingly view Telegram as a potential national threat, with terrorist groups and underground organizations using it for illegal business, resulting in bans in several countries.
In September, Telegram announced a major overhaul of its user data and privacy policies. Durov stated that“IP addresses and phone numbers of users violating platform rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities if there is a valid legal request.”This followed misuse of the Telegram Search feature by violators using it to sell illegal goods.
Pavel Durov has risen from billionaire to multibillionaire status, entering theForbeslist in 2023 with a net worth exceeding 17.1 billion U.S. dollars, ranking 150th globally, all derived from Telegram’s business.
Sources:CNN,,Business Insider,,The Guardian,,Time,,BBC,,Forbes.
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