Pavel Durov tops Russian ranking for capital growth among billionaires
Business
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has emerged as the leading Russian billionaire in terms of capital growth in 2025. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his wealth increased by $3.27 billion, reaching a total of $14.3 billion — the highest growth among all Russian names on the global list.
This surge is tied to Telegram’s rapid audience expansion and strengthened monetization strategy. As traditional social media platforms lose traction, Telegram has positioned itself as a “technological island of freedom,” drawing investor interest and boosting its valuation — and, in turn, Durov’s net worth.
Alisher Usmanov came in second with a $3.12 billion increase (up to $16.3 billion), followed by Viktor Vekselberg with $3.02 billion in gains (reaching $10.3 billion). Notable growth was also seen from Vladimir Potanin and Suleyman Kerimov, supported by resilience in resource and investment sectors.
However, not all Russian billionaires saw gains. Vladimir Lisin faced the biggest loss, down $3.58 billion due to volatility in the metals market. Mikhail Fridman and Dmitry Rybolovlev also reported losses amid asset stagnation and ongoing sanctions pressure.
Alisher Usmanov came in second with a $3.12 billion increase (up to $16.3 billion), followed by Viktor Vekselberg with $3.02 billion in gains (reaching $10.3 billion). Notable growth was also seen from Vladimir Potanin and Suleyman Kerimov, supported by resilience in resource and investment sectors.
However, not all Russian billionaires saw gains. Vladimir Lisin faced the biggest loss, down $3.58 billion due to volatility in the metals market. Mikhail Fridman and Dmitry Rybolovlev also reported losses amid asset stagnation and ongoing sanctions pressure.
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