Who Owns Telegram?
Updated onExplore the ownership hierarchy of Telegram. See parent companies, holding structures, and ultimate controllers.
Ownership Chain
Telegram
Telegram is a cloud-based instant-messaging and social platform emphasizing speed, security, large-group features, and multi-device sync.
Starts at $0
Pavel Durov
Personal website and portfolio of London-based software engineer Pavel Durov, focusing on programming languages, open source, Linux, distributed systems, and software architecture.
Telegram
Telegram is a cloud-based instant-messaging and social platform emphasizing speed, security, large-group features, and multi-device sync.
Starts at $0
Pavel Durov
Personal website and portfolio of London-based software engineer Pavel Durov, focusing on programming languages, open source, Linux, distributed systems, and software architecture.
Major Shareholders
Telegram
Major Shareholders
| Name | Type | Ownership | Voting | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pavel Durov Founder and CEO of Telegram and widely reported as its sole beneficial owner. In 2025 he stated in an interview with Le Point that he holds 100% of the company and that there are no external shareholders, a claim repeated in a November 2025 Business Insider profile. A March 2024 interview discussing a prospective IPO likewise described him as now solely owning Telegram. U.K. Companies House filings for Telegram Messenger LLP list Durov as the person with significant control, with rights to 75% or more of surplus assets in that key group entity. Forbes and multiple investment overviews also characterize Telegram as a privately held company owned by Durov, with no public equity investors disclosed as of late 2025. Telegram’s external funding has primarily taken the form of bonds and other debt securities placed with institutions such as BlackRock and Mubadala; these instruments may be convertible in a future IPO but do not confer current share ownership, leaving Durov as the only disclosed equity holder. | Founder | 100.0% | 100.0% | Dec 2025 |
Pavel Durov
Major Shareholders
| Name | Type | Ownership | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
Pavel Durov The entity represents the natural person Pavel Durov (a London-based software engineer and owner of the personal site p3ld3v.dev). There is no evidence of a separate corporate issuer or outside shareholders; he is presumed to control the entity personally, but no formal equity ownership structure is publicly disclosed. | Individual | — | — |
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