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Akbar Novruz

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Russian-born technology entrepreneur Alexander Mashrabov, co-founder of artificial intelligence startup Higgsfield, has been granted Kazakh citizenship, according to Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Jaslan Madiyev.

Madiyev announced that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree granting citizenship to Mashrabov on October 30. The minister personally presented the entrepreneur with his Kazakh passport.

According to Madiyev, Kazakhstan is seeking to attract internationally recognised technology entrepreneurs and artificial intelligence specialists as part of its efforts to develop the country's digital economy.

The decision comes as Astana seeks to strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding global AI industry by attracting experienced entrepreneurs and technology developers.

According to Bloomberg, Mashrabov, who has lived in the United States for several years, has already applied to renounce his Russian citizenship. Kazakhstan does not permit dual citizenship under its national legislation.

Higgsfield valued at $5.4 billion

Mashrabov co-founded Higgsfield in 2023, developing a platform specialising in artificial intelligence-generated videos and images.

The company's products have attracted more than 40 million users worldwide, reflecting growing demand for generative AI tools in digital content production.

According to Forbes, Higgsfield attracted $400 million in investment in August 2026, bringing its valuation to approximately $5.4 billion.

Mashrabov reportedly holds a 20–30% stake in the company. Based on the reported valuation, his shareholding would have an estimated paper value of between $1.08 billion and $1.62 billion, although this does not necessarily represent his personal net worth or the amount he could realise from selling his shares.

The entrepreneur previously worked at Russian technology company Yandex before establishing AI Factory, an artificial intelligence startup subsequently acquired by US technology company Snap in 2020 for $166 million.