JUNE 20, 2025 — Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has revealed that he plans to leave his entire $17 billion fortune to his 106 biological children — but not until the year 2055, sparking global conversation about wealth, legacy, and unconventional fatherhood.

In a candid interview with Le Point, a leading French magazine, the 40-year-old Russian-born entrepreneur said he recently updated his will to delay access to his fortune for 30 years, hoping to instill self-reliance and creativity in his children before they inherit vast wealth.

“I want them to live like normal people, to build themselves up alone, to learn to trust themselves,” Durov said. “To be able to create, not to be dependent on a bank account.”

A Global Genealogical Footprint

Durov, known for his fiercely libertarian ideals and aversion to state surveillance, shocked many by disclosing that he is the biological father of 106 children — six of whom he fathered naturally with three partners, and 100+ conceived through anonymous sperm donations made over the past 15 years in 12 countries.

“They are all my children and will all have the same rights,” he emphasized. “I don’t want them to tear each other apart after my death.”

Durov reportedly began sperm donation to help a friend but continued over the years. Clinics have since confirmed that his donations have led to over 100 births globally, a number that positions him among the most prolific biological fathers on record.

Inheritance: $131–$161 Million Per Child

According to estimates from Bloomberg and Forbes, the math breaks down to between $131 million and $161 million per child — assuming no major changes to Durov’s current net worth over the next 30 years.

Legal analysts suggest the complexity of international inheritance law, especially across jurisdictions where some of the children may reside, could raise unprecedented estate challenges by mid-century.

Legal Clouds in France

The revelation comes amid ongoing legal issues for Durov in France. In August 2024, he was briefly detained at Bourget Airport near Paris after arriving from Azerbaijan by private jet. While French authorities have not officially disclosed the reasons, local reports have linked the incident to ongoing investigations into Telegram’s role in digital privacy and its use by criminal networks — allegations Durov has consistently denied.

His legal team has yet to comment on whether the inheritance announcement was strategically timed to soften his public image.

Reaction

Durov’s comments have sparked debate online, with some praising his egalitarian approach to parenting and legacy, while others question the ethical implications of fathering children anonymously and imposing a decades-long financial trust.

Family wealth advisors note that delayed inheritance structures are not new — but doing so across over 100 potential heirs with mixed legal parenthood statuses is virtually unprecedented.