Telegram founder Pavel Durov — with 100 children already — offers to fund IVF for women using his sperm

According to a report by the New York Post, Durov, 41, has offered to cover IVF expenses for women aged 37 and below, using sperm he had previously donated and which remains stored at a Moscow-based fertility clinic.

The offer adds to the controversy surrounding the billionaire tech founder, who has publicly claimed to have fathered more than 100 children through sperm donation alone.

A tech billionaire with over 100 biological children

Durov, who founded the encrypted messaging platform Telegram in 2013, has said he has more than 100 biological children across multiple countries, in addition to six children from three personal relationships.

He has repeatedly stressed that he makes no distinction between children conceived naturally and those born through sperm donation.

In several interviews and public statements, Durov has maintained that all his biological children will be entitled to an equal share of his wealth in the future, regardless of how they were conceived.

His net worth is estimated to be between $14 billion and $17 billion.

IVF offer linked to earlier sperm donations

The New York Post report said Durov no longer donates sperm actively, but samples from his earlier donations are still available at a Moscow fertility clinic.

The clinic reportedly offers his sperm to unmarried women under 37, a restriction aimed at reducing legal and parental disputes.

The report further claimed that Durov has agreed to pay IVF costs for eligible women, with the clinic advertising his genetic profile as “highly compatible” and in strong demand.

While Durov himself has not issued a fresh statement confirming the funding arrangement, he has previously acknowledged that his sperm remains available for use.

‘Social responsibility’ amid falling male fertility

Durov has framed his involvement in sperm donation as a form of social responsibility rather than personal ambition.

He has linked his actions to what he describes as a global decline in male fertility, citing pollution, plastics and environmental toxins as key contributors to falling sperm counts worldwide.

In a Telegram post in July 2024, Durov said his donations had helped families in at least 12 countries.

He has also claimed that fertility specialists encouraged him to continue donating after informing him of a shortage of what clinics classify as “high-quality donor material”.

His initial involvement began in 2010, when he agreed to donate sperm to help a friend struggling to conceive.

According to Durov, that single decision eventually expanded into large-scale donations after doctors highlighted the demand.

Plans to ‘open-source’ his DNA

Adding another unusual dimension to the story, Durov has said he plans to “open-source” his DNA in the future.

The idea, he explained in interviews with European media, would allow his biological children to find and connect with one another if they choose.

“I make no difference between my children,” Durov told French magazine Le Point, adding that shared genetics would also establish inheritance rights decades down the line.

Telegram’s growth and legal spotlight

Durov’s personal life has increasingly drawn attention alongside Telegram’s explosive growth.

The messaging platform now boasts more than one billion active users globally and plays a major role in political communication, activism and conflict reporting.

That influence has also placed Durov under regulatory scrutiny. In August 2024, he was arrested in France over allegations linked to Telegram’s handling of extremist content on its platform.

He was later released on $5.6 million bail, with his representatives denying any wrongdoing.