Pavel Durov, co-founder of the Telegram messenger, emphasized that the company has no Russian investors and that he is the sole shareholder.
Telegram is not dependent on Russian capital. In our recent bond placement of $1.7 billion, there were no Russian investors. The old bonds issued in 2021 have been mostly redeemed and do not pose a problem.
He also noted that, in any case, bondholders cannot be considered shareholders and do not have voting rights in making decisions about Telegram.
Telegram was created in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov. The messenger was developed as a secure means of communication. Pavel Durov lived and worked in Russia, but left the country in 2014.
Telegram's main sources of income are paid Premium subscriptions, advertising in public channels, and collaboration with blockchain projects such as TON (The Open Network).
In the first half of 2025, revenue reached $870 million: $223 million came from Premium subscriptions (an 88% increase), $125 million from advertising, and $300 million from exclusive deals with Toncoin.