Pavel Durov, the 41-year-old Russian tech billionaire and founder of Telegram, has sparked global debate by offering to fund in vitro fertilization (IVF) for women under 37 using his sperm.
Durov says that any children born through this process will be entitled to a share of his $17 billion fortune, raising ethical, legal, and social questions worldwide.
Billionaire Claims to Have Fathered Over 100 Children
International media reports indicate that Durov has already fathered at least 100 children via sperm donation, in addition to six children with three partners. He frames his efforts as a mission to address declining global fertility, rather than a personal endeavor.
Durov calls sperm donation a “civic duty”, highlighting the shortage of “high-quality donor material” and stressing the importance of destigmatizing sperm donation.
All Biological Children to Receive Equal Inheritance
In an October interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Durov stated that all of his biological children will be treated equally in terms of inheritance, regardless of the circumstances of their conception or their mothers.
“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,” he said. “I make no difference between my children.”
Linking Sperm Donation to Global Fertility Crisis
Durov has tied his donation initiative to concerns about falling sperm counts and rising infertility rates worldwide. He has publicly blamed environmental factors, such as plastic pollution, for declining male fertility and has expressed willingness to help by donating his sperm.
Also read: Sperm donor who fathered over 550 children ordered to stop by Court
He began donating in 2010 to help a friend and later continued after fertility specialists noted a shortage of suitable donors. By July 2024, he claimed his donations had helped over 100 couples in 12 countries to have children.
Ethical and Legal Controversy Surrounding the Offer
Durov’s latest proposal—funded IVF and eventual inheritance rights for any confirmed biological children—has immediately raised ethical, legal, and societal questions, though he maintains it is a personal solution to a global reproductive health challenge.
