Pavel Durov isn’t your typical tech billionaire. The elusive 40-year-old founder of Telegram, the encrypted messaging app with over 900 million users, just revealed a jaw-dropping detail in a recent interview: he’s leaving his $14 billion fortune to his kids—all 100+ of them.
Yes, you read that right.
In an exclusive interview with Le Point, Durov said he recently wrote a will that gives equal inheritance rights to his six “official” children and more than 100 others born through his longtime sperm donations.
“I make no difference between my children: there are those who were conceived naturally and those who come from my sperm donations. They are all my children and will all have the same rights,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want them “to tear each other apart after my death.”
So, what does that mean in numbers? If Durov’s wealth stays around $13.9 billion, that’s roughly $132 million per child. Not bad for being part of Gen Alpha.
But here’s the kicker: these lucky heirs won’t be able to touch a cent of it for the next 30 years. Durov wants his kids to build their own lives before gaining access to his fortune. “I want them to live like normal people, to build themselves up alone, to learn to trust themselves,” he told Le Point. “Not to be dependent on a bank account.”
According to Forbes, Durov’s net worth currently sits just under $14 billion, placing him among the richest self-made tech entrepreneurs in the world.
The twist? Most of these kids might not even know they’re his yet. As Fortune reports, whether or not Durov’s biological children are aware of their golden ticket depends on the terms of his donations—whether he was a known donor or remained anonymous.
“If Pavel Durov was a directed donor, meaning his identity was known to the birth parent, it’s likely the child knows,” said Khaled Kteily, CEO of fertility clinic Give Legacy. “But if he was anonymous, they might not find out unless they pursue a paternity test.”
Who is Pavel Durov?
Born in Russia, Durov first made headlines for founding VKontakte (Russia’s answer to Facebook), before being ousted after refusing to censor opposition voices. He then poured his energy into building Telegram—a platform championing privacy, free speech, and user control.
But with freedom comes controversy.
In 2024, Durov was indicted in France on charges related to criminal activity allegedly happening on Telegram. Authorities claimed the platform was being used by organized crime groups for illicit trade and even distribution of child sexual abuse material. While Durov denied involvement and his lawyer called the accusations “absurd,” the case put Telegram in the crosshairs of European regulators.
Telegram, known for its lack of moderation, has also been under fire for allowing extremist content to spread, including neo-Nazi propaganda and misinformation campaigns.
Despite the legal turmoil and criticism, Durov continues to live and work out of Dubai, where he holds dual citizenship—and is, apparently, quietly preparing for a legacy unlike any tech mogul before him.
While most billionaires are setting up foundations or giving their fortunes away to causes (looking at you, Gates and Jobs), Durov’s approach is purely paternal: give it all to the next generation—even if they’ve never met him.
And somewhere out there, over 100 kids may one day wake up to discover they’re worth $132 million… just for being born.
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