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06/20/2025

Pavel Durov – Telegram's Founder Writes Will to "Split Equally Among 100+ Children," Vows Never to Sell Telegram

From a prodigiously talented programmer to the founder of the world's largest messaging app, Pavel Durov — "Russia's Mark Zuckerberg" — is living through an extraordinary chapter. France has barred him from leaving the country over allegations tied to content moderation on Telegram, yet he has never been more outspoken in his commitment to freedom, neutrality, and zero compromise. In a lengthy interview with French magazine Le Point, Durov revealed personal details he has never shared publicly —

Pavel Durov – Telegram's Founder Writes Will to "Split Equally Among 100+ Children," Vows Never to Sell Telegram

From a prodigiously talented programmer to the founder of the world's largest messaging app, Pavel Durov — "Russia's Mark Zuckerberg" — is living through an extraordinary chapter. France has barred him from leaving the country over allegations tied to content moderation on Telegram, yet he has never been more outspoken in his commitment to freedom, neutrality, and zero compromise.

In a lengthy interview with French magazine Le Point, Durov revealed personal details he has never shared publicly — from his ideals around privacy protection and his relationships with heads of state, to his disciplined lifestyle and… writing a will that names over 100 children as equal heirs.

🔐 Not Selling Telegram — "Because It's a Promise, Not an Asset"

Pavel Durov shared that Telegram — now with over 900 million users worldwide — has never been his primary source of income. In fact, he says he has never received a salary or dividends from Telegram. The money that funds both the project and his personal life comes from a Bitcoin investment he made in 2013.

"I turned down a $1 billion acquisition offer from Google in 2017, because Telegram is not for sale. It's a promise to users: independence, privacy, and freedom."

He currently holds 100% of Telegram's shares, and if anything were to happen to him, Telegram would be transferred to a non-profit foundation to ensure it continues operating independently and free from outside influence.

⚖️ The Fight Against Governments and Global Surveillance

Durov recounted how Russian authorities pressured him to hand over user data during his time running VKontakte — Russia's largest social network. He refused, sold his stake, and left Russia. Ever since, he has held firm on his refusal to comply with politically motivated censorship demands from any government.

Even while banned from leaving France amid an investigation into criminal groups exploiting Telegram, Durov pushed back:

"Someone misusing a platform doesn't make me a criminal. Governments should do their job — investigate, prosecute — rather than blame a neutral platform."

👨‍👧‍👦 A Will That Splits Everything Equally Among 100+ Children

At 40, Durov has written a will with a striking provision: his estate will be divided equally among his 6 biological children and over 100 others conceived through sperm he donated to a clinic over the past 15 years.

"I make no distinction between biological children and donor-conceived children. They are all my children, and I want to treat them equally."

Notably, he stipulates that none of them may inherit until 30 years after the will is signed. He wants them to live, grow up, and learn self-reliance — without leaning on a bank or passive wealth.

💪 A "Digital Ascetic" Lifestyle

Pavel Durov is known for iron discipline. He doesn't drink coffee or alcohol, doesn't smoke, avoids sugar, and starts every morning with 300 push-ups and 300 squats, back to back.

"I don't carry a phone or use personal social media. I prefer reading, writing, and thinking."

He also expressed concern about microplastics and their potential impact on male fertility and human health broadly.

💡 On AI, Zuckerberg, Musk, and ChatGPT

Durov believes current AI models like ChatGPT are merely "mimicking" complex language — they aren't actually "understanding" or "thinking." He revealed that his brother, Nikolai Durov, is developing an AI model with genuine logical reasoning capabilities.

On peers in the industry:

  • Zuckerberg: Capable, but lacks core values.
  • Musk: Impulsive, but powerful because of his courage.
  • Altman (OpenAI): "Skilled at building coalitions, but it's unclear whether he still has the depth now that his founding partners are gone."

✊ A Final Message: "Freedom Cannot Be Protected Only Halfway"

Durov concluded:

"Today it may be bad actors who get censored, but tomorrow it could be you. Once censorship is legitimized, it doesn't stop."

Under Pavel Durov's leadership, Telegram is more than an app — it's a symbol of the fight for freedom on the internet. And at 40, this Russian-born founder is still keeping his promise: won't sell out, won't compromise, won't stop.