GRAM Drops Below $1.40 as Russia Puts Durov on International Wanted List

GRAM, the native token of The Open Network closely tied to Telegram, slipped below $1.40 on July 29, changing hands near $1.39 and down as much as 3.68% on the day, according to price trackers. The move came within hours of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announcing it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity and placing him on an international wanted list.

The token’s decline marks a continuation of the sell-off that began when Russian authorities first escalated their case against Durov, pushing GRAM lower for a second consecutive session as traders priced in fresh legal risk around Telegram’s founder and, by extension, its ecosystem.

What the FSB alleges

Russia’s FSB said Durov has been formally charged and that an international arrest warrant has been issued, according to local news agency Interfax. The agency did not specify which wanted list it was referencing, and a check of Interpol’s public Red Notice database did not turn up Durov’s name at the time of reporting.

The FSB claims Telegram failed to remove channels, group chats and automated bots that Ukrainian intelligence services, terrorist groups and extremist organizations allegedly used to plan attacks, recruit operatives and carry out cyber fraud. The move follows a criminal case Russian authorities opened against Durov in February.

At the time the February case emerged, Durov confirmed it in a post on X and pushed back against the Russian government, writing: “Each day, the authorities fabricate new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram as they seek to suppress the right to privacy and free speech.”

A separate legal front in France

Durov also faces an ongoing criminal investigation in France over alleged illegal activity on Telegram. French authorities lifted travel restrictions on him earlier this year, allowing him to leave the country, but that case remains open independently of Russia’s new charge.

Durov has previously described Russia’s case against him as, in his words reported elsewhere, a state effort to intimidate him and Telegram over the platform’s refusal to hand over user data or restrict access inside Russia.

Why the GRAM price reaction matters

GRAM’s tight coupling to Telegram’s fortunes means legal headlines involving Durov tend to translate quickly into token price action, even though The Open Network is technically an independent blockchain project. A sub-$1.40 print reflects traders discounting near-term uncertainty around Telegram’s leadership and its ability to operate without further restrictions in Russia and elsewhere.

For holders, the key variables to watch are whether Interpol formally lists Durov on a Red Notice, how the French investigation progresses, and whether Telegram faces any operational restrictions that could affect TON-based applications and the wallet integrations built around the messaging app.

Read more: Gram Slips 2.4% to $1.42 as Russia Charges Telegram’s Durov With Terrorism Aid

Sources

• ambcrypto.com
• cointelegraph.com
• decrypt.co