Telegram founder Pavel Durov stated that the service would completely exit the French market if the country's government continues to demand access to users' private correspondence. According to him, the expansion of state powers in the data sphere poses risks of information leaks and abuse. Ixbt.com reports on this.
Durov cited police statistics to support his position. Since the beginning of 2026, 41 cases related to the kidnapping of cryptocurrency owners have been recorded in France.
He also mentioned that an employee of the tax service in the Île-de-France region is suspected of selling information from closed databases. According to the entrepreneur, an increase in the volume of collected data will further intensify such threats.
Furthermore, Durov touched upon the recent hacking attack on the ANTS agency. According to media reports, the personal data of at least 10 million users may have been leaked to the network as a result of this attack.
For this very reason, Telegram prefers to exit the French market rather than provide private correspondence to corrupt bureaucrats.
It is worth noting that Pavel Durov has been under investigation in France since August 2024. He was charged with facilitating illegal activities through the messenger.
He was released on 5 million euros bail, and although restrictions on leaving the country were later lifted, the investigation is still ongoing.
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