Durov Threatens to Halt Telegram Operations in France

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has announced the likelihood of removing Telegram from the French market in order to avoid transferring users' personal data to the authorities.

In his post, he referenced police data indicating that, since the beginning of 2026, France has recorded 41 cases of kidnappings involving cryptocurrency holders. Durov also mentioned an ongoing investigation related to a tax officer in Île-de-France, Galia S., who is suspected of selling data from closed databases.

Following a breach of France's personal documents issuance and preservation agency (ANTS) on April 20, the Telegram owner predicted that similar incidents would become widespread in the country. According to France Info, at least 10 million accounts were affected, with individuals' names, addresses, and phone numbers circulating online.