Russian tech billionaire and Telegram founder Pavel Durov has announced that he will cover the full cost of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) for women under the age of 37 who wish to conceive using his donated sperm. Durov added that all of his biological children will eventually inherit a portion of his estimated $17 billion fortune.
Pavel Durov’s Children and Sperm Donations
According to the New York Post, Durov, 41, has fathered at least 100 children through sperm donation, in addition to six children from three partners. He described sperm donation as a “civic duty,” citing a global shortage of what he calls “high-quality donor material,” and emphasised the need to destigmatise the practice.
“As long as they can establish their shared DNA with me, someday maybe in 30 years from now, they will be entitled to a share of my estate after I’m gone,” Durov said during an interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast in October.
In a separate conversation with French magazine Le Point, he stated, “I make no difference between my children.”
Pavel Durov Links Infertility To Environmental Factors
Durov has publicly connected declining sperm counts and rising infertility rates worldwide to environmental factors, including plastic pollution. He has said he is willing to help address these issues.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Durov’s sperm has become highly sought after, with dozens of women responding last year to a Moscow fertility clinic advertisement offering his samples free of charge.
IVF Support Through Altravita Clinic
The Altravita Clinic in Moscow described Durov as having “high genetic compatibility” and confirmed that he would finance IVF for women under 37 using his “in-demand” sperm. While Durov no longer donates directly, previously collected samples remain stored at the clinic. Access is limited to unmarried women under 37 to prevent legal complications.
Pavel Durov Open-Sourcing His DNA
Durov revealed that his sperm donation began in 2010 when he helped a friend struggling to conceive. Encouraged by fertility specialists who cited a shortage of healthy sperm, he continued donating.
In a Telegram post in July 2024, he confirmed, “My past donating activities has helped over a hundred couples in 12 countries to have kids. Of course there are risks, but I don’t regret having been a donor.”
He also announced plans to “open-source” his DNA so that his biological children can locate one another more easily.
“The shortage of healthy sperm has become an increasingly serious issue worldwide, and I’m proud that I did my part to help alleviate it,” Durov added.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
