Telegram Billionaire to Leave KSh 1.8 Trillion Fortune to Over 100 Children
Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, has made global headlines after revealing plans to distribute his $14 billion (approx. KSh 1.8 trillion) fortune equally among more than 100 of his biological children.
In a recent interview with French publication Le Point, the 40-year-old tech mogul confirmed that his will treats all his children equally, whether conceived naturally or through sperm donation. “They are all my children and will all have the same rights! I don’t want them to tear each other apart after my death,” Durov stated.
Durov has six officially recognized children with three women and has donated to a sperm clinic for over 15 years. According to the clinic, more than 100 children in 12 countries have been conceived using his donations. This puts the total number of Durov’s children at over 106, meaning each could inherit roughly $132 million (KSh 17 billion).
However, Durov has imposed a 30-year waiting period before any of his children can access the inheritance. “I want them to live like normal people, to build themselves up alone, to learn to trust themselves,” he said, adding that financial independence before wealth was key to character.
This revelation comes amid growing discussions about the ethics of extreme wealth, legacy planning, and the responsibilities of billionaires. Durov’s approach echoes a personal philosophy that emphasizes creativity, independence, and non-materialistic values.
Despite his vast fortune and global recognition, Durov has remained a fiercely private figure. He fled Russia in 2014 after resisting Kremlin censorship demands, and built Telegram into one of the world’s most popular messaging apps with a reputation for security and user privacy.
Durov’s decision has sparked global debate—part admiration, part controversy—on digital forums, legal circles, and financial think tanks. Questions have also arisen over how donor anonymity laws in various countries may affect his children’s ability to claim their inheritance.
As billionaire philanthropy increasingly shapes global headlines—with Microsoft’s Bill Gates pledging 99% of his $176 billion fortune to charity—Durov’s story adds a personal and provocative twist: the future of fortune, family, and identity in the digital age.
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Telegram Billionaire to Leave KSh 1.8 Trillion Fortune to Over 100 Children