Pavel Durov Leaves His Multi-Billion Dollar Fortune to 106 Children

Pavel Durov Leaves His Multi-Billion Dollar Fortune to 106 Children

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has announced that he will leave his entire fortune—estimated between $14 and $17 billion—to his 106 children. In an interview with the French magazine Le Point, Durov confirmed that this includes both his six biological children and more than 100 others born through anonymous sperm donations made in clinics across 12 different countries.

Durov stated that all children, regardless of their biological origins, will inherit equal shares of his fortune. However, they will not have access to it immediately: under the terms of his will, the inheritance will become available only 30 years from the date of the interview—meaning in June 2055. He explained that the delay is meant to ensure that the children grow up independently and are not influenced or divided by wealth.

What began as a favor to a friend eventually led to over a hundred children born through his sperm donations. “I see this as a way to pass on my genes without the constraints of forming a traditional family,” he said in the interview. According to media reports, including People and Business Insider, Durov’s total number of children currently stands at 106, including both biological and donor offspring.

Durov, who is 40 years old, is best known as the creator of the social network VKontakte and the Telegram messenger, which by 2025 has over 900 million active users. According to Forbes, he is one of the wealthiest individuals of Russian origin and holds multiple citizenships, including those of the UAE and France.

Durov is also reportedly under international legal scrutiny. In France, he is under investigation related to his business activities within the EU, and in Switzerland, a former partner has filed a legal claim regarding custody. Against this backdrop, Durov stated he wishes to settle his estate in advance, while he is still able to do so on his own terms.

It is estimated that if divided equally, each child could inherit between $130 and $160 million. However, the exact legal mechanisms of how this will be carried out remain unclear, including whether all donor-conceived children will be officially recognized under inheritance law.

Legal experts note that Durov’s will could raise complex questions in international inheritance law and might set a precedent in how donor-conceived children are treated across jurisdictions. Nevertheless, Durov remains committed to his values: maximum anonymity, rejection of government asset registration, and complete disregard for traditional family models.