Telegram under crossfire: criminal case against Durov and risks for crypto infrastructure
The situation surrounding Telegram and its founder Pavel Durov is reaching a boiling point. On July 29, the FSB placed Durov on an international wanted list in connection with a case of aiding terrorism, and the State Duma has seriously discussed the possibility of recognizing the messenger as a terrorist resource. The market reacted instantly: the rate of the native Gram token collapsed. But what does this mean for users and built-in crypto wallets?
A criminal case has been opened under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for penalties up to life imprisonment. The basis is the refusal of Telegram's administration to delete channels, chats, and bots used to prepare sabotage and terrorist acts. Pressure on the service has been increasing gradually: in the summer of 2025, regulators restricted calls, and by 2026, access to the platform significantly slowed down.
Durov himself links the criminal prosecution to pressure on an independent service. It is worth recalling that in France, the businessman also remains a subject of investigation: he was detained in the summer of 2024 and released on a $5 million bail, and by the end of 2025, the travel restriction was lifted.
Crypto Infrastructure Under Attack
A separate risk is associated with the messenger's crypto infrastructure. A week before the security forces' announcement, on July 21, Durov announced a non-custodial Gram Wallet for all applications of the service. Amid the FSB's claims, State Duma deputy Andrei Kolesnik stated that the scenario of recognizing Telegram as a terrorist resource seems quite likely. The decision on the status remains with the intelligence services.
Andrey Tugarin, founder of the law firm GMT Legal, suggests distinguishing between the criminal case against a specific individual and the fate of the platform itself. According to him, Durov's case does not equate to an immediate shutdown of Telegram or its crypto services. However, in practice, this only intensifies the already growing pressure on the messenger.
Starting next year, the transition period granted by the Federal Antimonopoly Service ends, and a ban on commercial advertising on YouTube and Telegram comes into effect. Tugarin reminds that this norm will take effect regardless of how the case against the messenger's founder develops. If nothing changes, paid advertising for Russian users on Telegram will be banned starting next year.
Legal Structure and Real Risks
The expert emphasizes an important legal nuance: the crypto services integrated into Telegram and Telegram itself as a social network are legally unrelated. They are deliberately separated, and there is no direct legal connection between the provider of Telegram Wallet services and the legal entity providing the social network's services.
However, formal separation does not negate the actual linkage of the products. Telegram Wallet is embedded in the entire TON ecosystem on the blockchain. Pavel Durov officially states this at all events and promotes these products. Therefore, indirectly, all this could also affect the crypto services and the social network itself in the form of additional restrictions.
My analysis: The separation of legal entities is a standard protection practice, but under conditions of political pressure, it may not work. The actual integration of crypto wallets into Telegram makes them vulnerable to reputational and regulatory risks, even if they formally belong to different companies. Investors in the TON ecosystem should closely monitor developments.