Telegram founder Pavel Durov temporarily leaves France amid legal troubles, Toncoin surges

Telegram founder Pavel Durov, detained in France since last August, was granted temporary permission to leave the country for Dubai.

Agence France Presse (AFP) first reported the news on Saturday. Shortly afterward, the cryptocurrency market reacted.

Toncoin ( TON ), the digital token linked to Telegram’s Telegram Open Network (TON), saw a dramatic surge in its trading volume, increasing by more than 15% following the announcement.

The TON token, currently valued at $3.34, has been a key development of Telegram’s blockchain initiatives.

In addition, Notcoin ( NOT ), a token for a popular tap-to-earn mini-app on the platform, also experienced a rally, rising by over 12.7% at the time of publication.

Durov, a billionaire Russian exile who founded the popular messaging app Telegram in 2013, faces multiple charges linked to allegedly enabling organized crime.

Authorities allowed Durov to depart for Dubai, AFP reported citing an unnamed source. The move follows a ruling by an investigating judge who accepted Durov’s request to modify the conditions of his supervision several days ago.

Durov, 40, has been under investigation for several infractions, including accusations related to terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering, and child abuse content on the Telegram platform.

He was initially arrested in August following his indictment, which led to a ban on his departure from the country.

Durov addressed the legal challenges in a statement posted to his official Telegram channel in September. Expressing his surprise at the charges, Durov criticized French authorities for bypassing official communication channels with Telegram’s EU representative and instead questioning him directly. He argued that holding a CEO accountable for crimes allegedly committed by others on a platform—especially one operating under pre-smartphone laws—was a “misguided approach.”

In his statement, Durov also defended Telegram’s moderation practices, highlighting the platform’s daily efforts to remove harmful content and its established connections with NGOs for urgent requests. Despite the legal troubles, he reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Telegram’s vast user base, which now totals nearly one billion people.

As the investigation continues, Durov’s legal battles are likely to remain a topic of significant attention, especially as Telegram’s cryptocurrency initiatives continue to expand.

Whether the latest legal developments will have any long-term effects on Telegram’s operations or the value of its associated tokens remains to be seen.