Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
The richest person in Dubai is not a sheikh or prince, but Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram. His net worth as of September 29, 2025, is $17.1 billion (₹1,51,676 crore), ranking 118th globally.
Durov co-founded VKontakte (VK.com), Russia’s largest social network, amassing over 100 million users. Later, he launched Telegram, an encrypted messaging app, which became his primary source of wealth.
Forbes compared him to Mark Zuckerberg due to his innovative thinking and business acumen, earning him the moniker “Russia’s Zuckerberg.”
After refusing Russian intelligence agencies’ requests to hand over user data, Durov sold his stake in VK, left Russia, and relocated to Dubai in 2017, attracted by its tax-friendly environment.
Durov became a French citizen in 2021 while living in Dubai. He is under judicial supervision in France following a 2024 arrest over alleged organized crime linked to Telegram, which he denies.
He recently accused French intelligence agencies of pressuring him to censor Moldovan Telegram channels during elections, a claim denied by the French Foreign Ministry.
Durov reportedly has five children with two former girlfriends and has claimed to have fathered almost 100 children via sperm donation, reflecting his unconventional lifestyle.
Born in 1984 in Saint Petersburg, Durov studied Philology at Saint Petersburg State University. By 22, he co-founded VK, marking the start of his tech empire.
Durov has consistently attracted media coverage for living life on his own terms, resisting governmental pressures, and pioneering secure, privacy-focused social media through Telegram.