Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Predicts $1 Million Bitcoin Price

Pavel Durov’s journey with Bitcoin began in 2013 when he purchased his “first few thousand of Bitcoin” at approximately $700 per coin. Despite the price later falling toward $300, Durov maintained his position with unwavering resolve. “And my response to them was, I don’t care. I’m not going to sell it. I believe in this thing,” he recalled during his conversation with Lex Fridman. This early commitment demonstrates a conviction that has remained consistent for over a decade, predating both Bitcoin’s massive bull runs and significant corrections.

The Telegram CEO’s long-term perspective has proven financially strategic. Durov revealed that Bitcoin appreciation has effectively financed his lifestyle, noting that “Telegram is a money losing operation for me personally. Bitcoin is something that allowed me to stay afloat.” This stark separation between his personal finances and Telegram’s operating economics underscores how deeply Durov has integrated Bitcoin into his wealth strategy, independent of his company’s financial performance.

Durov’s $1 million Bitcoin prediction rests fundamentally on two pillars: censorship resistance and predictable monetary policy. “Nobody can confiscate your Bitcoin from you. Nobody can censor you for political reasons. This is the ultimate means of exchange,” he explained. This characteristic becomes increasingly valuable in an era of growing digital surveillance and financial control, positioning Bitcoin as a unique asset class that protects individual sovereignty.

The second pillar of Durov’s thesis contrasts Bitcoin’s disciplined issuance with what he describes as reckless fiat money printing. “The governments keep printing money like no tomorrow. Nobody’s printing Bitcoin. There is a predictable inflation and then it stops at a certain point,” Durov stated. His reasoning aligns with the hard-cap arguments long advanced by Bitcoin’s most committed holders: Bitcoin’s issuance is programmatic and terminal, while fiscal and monetary expansion remains discretionary and potentially unlimited.

Durov anchored his $1 million prediction in these fundamental properties rather than short-term market catalysts, telling Fridman to “just look at the trends” and concluding that “Bitcoin is here to stay. All the fiat currencies remain to be seen.” This macro narrative forms the bedrock of his long-term bullish outlook, independent of temporary market fluctuations or specific adoption milestones.

The timing of Durov’s bold Bitcoin prediction coincides with Telegram’s deepening integration of cryptocurrency into its core business model. The company has progressively embedded the TON ecosystem into its product, committing to Toncoin-based ad payments and revenue sharing for channel owners. This TON-denominated advertising infrastructure has been credited with catalyzing user and developer activity across Telegram’s rapidly expanding mini-app economy.

Telegram’s crypto functionality reached a significant milestone in July 2025 when it extended to the United States market. The TON community’s wallet mini-app now enables in-app transfers and payments for US users, following what Telegram described as nine-figure global wallet activation metrics in 2024. This expansion underscores the scale of Telegram as a potential distribution channel for on-chain payments and games, potentially exposing millions of new users to cryptocurrency functionality.

While Durov maintains a clear distinction between his personal Bitcoin investments and Telegram’s business operations, the company’s growing embrace of crypto infrastructure creates a symbiotic relationship. As Telegram expands its crypto capabilities, it potentially drives broader adoption of the technology that Durov personally champions, though he emphasized that his $1 million Bitcoin prediction reflects his personal conviction rather than corporate strategy.