In a country where royal families and oil tycoons dominate the wealth landscape, the richest man in Dubai is a tech billionaire. Meet Telegram CEO Pavel Durov who is the richest man in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a net worth of over $17 billion, according to Forbes Billionaires list. Durov is followed by Hussain Sajwani – chairman of Dubai-based luxury real estate developer Damac Properties, with a net worth of $10.2 billion. Globally, Pavel Durov ranks at number 118 in the Forbes global list. His rise reflects not only the global reach of his messaging app but also Dubai’s growing status as a hub for technology and innovation.

Who is Pavel Durov

Born in St. Petersburg in 1984, Pavel Durov is often referred to as “Mark Zuckerberg of Russia”. Durov first made his name by co-founding VKontakte, Russia’s largest social network. But after clashes with authorities, he sold his stake and left the country in 2014. That same year, he shifted focus to Telegram, which has since exploded into a global platform with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide.Durov left Russia after refusing to cooperate with the secret service and provide encrypted data of his first social network’s users. Telegram was banned in Russia from 2018 to 2021. In 2018 Pavel, with his brother Nikolai, raised $1.7 billion from investors to create TON, a blockchain system; it was shut down after the SEC banned it.Pavel Durov became a French citizen in 2021 but lives in Dubai. As per information available on Forbes billionaires website, he has five children that he shares with two ex-girlfriends. In the past, Durov has claimed to have donated sperm that led to him fathering 100 children.

How Pavel Durov became Dubai’s richest

Durov relocated to Dubai, where Telegram is now headquartered. He later acquired UAE citizenship in February 2021. Relocating to Dubai gave Durov not only a strategic base for expansion but also UAE citizenship, placing him in a unique spot among the country’s wealthiest. Though Telegram app remains free to use, Durov introduced Telegram Premium in 2022, offering paid features to power users. This, combined with the platform’s high valuation, cemented his billionaire status.