Kazakhstan Boasts Six Wealthiest Individuals on Forbes' 2025 Billionaires Ranking
Kickin' It with the Big Kazakhs
(Image credit: Neil Jamieson/Forbes)
ASTANA's business scene is heating up with six heavy hitters from the Central Asian country making it on Forbes' 2025 World's Billionaires List.
Vyacheslav Kim, chair and shareholder of Kaspi Bank, Kazakhstan's leading payments and fintech entity, continues to be the richest Kazakh tycoon, with a whopping $7.1 billion fortune, placing him 464th globally. His fellow Kaspi co-founder, Mikhail Lomtadze from Georgia, bags the 597th spot with a cool $5.9 billion.
Next up is Timur Turlov, CEO and mastermind behind Freedom Holding, a retail brokerage firm from Kazakhstan. His net worth skyrocketed from $3.3 billion to $5.8 billion in a single year, earning him the 605th spot.
Fellow miner Vladimir Kim, shareholder of KAZ Minerals and Kazakhmys, joins the rankings with a $5.7 billion fortune, securing the 620th spot.
The Kulibayev family duo, Timur and Dinara, co-owners of Almex and minority shareholders of Halyk Bank, share the 673rd place with an impressive $5.3 billion each. Timur is a prominent name in Kazakh politics, being the son-in-law of the country's former president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Last but not least, Bulat Utemuratov, a shareholder of ForteBank and investor in hotels and telecom, clocks in at 979th with a $3.7 billion fortune.
In total, Forbes counted 3,028 billionaires in 2025, a record high, with a staggering combined wealth of $16.1 trillion – "richer than ever". The US leads the pack with 902 billionaires, followed closely by China, including Hong Kong, with 516 and India with 205.
Although Worldostats places Vladimir Kim among the wealthiest individuals in Kazakhstan with $4.6 billion on their 2025 list[1], it's important to note that there are no specific rankings available for Kazakh businessmen on Forbes' 2025 World's Billionaires List. Additionally, Mikheil Lomtadze, a Kazakhstan-based billionaire, not of ethnic Kazakh origin, has an estimated net worth of $5.7 billion according to Forbes in 2024[2]. For a detailed look at the 2025 Forbes rankings, be sure to check out their official list.
Forbes listed six Kazakh businessmen on its 2025 World's Billionaires List, including timeless tycoon Vyacheslav Kim, who ranks 464th with a $7.1 billion fortune. Timur Turlov, CEO of Freedom Holding, experienced a significant net worth surge to $5.8 billion, placing him at 605th. Fellow miner Vladimir Kim, with a net worth of $5.7 billion from KAZ Minerals and Kazakhmys, ranks 620th. The Kulibayev family duo, Timur and Dinara, co-owners of Almex and minority shareholders of Halyk Bank, share the 673rd place with $5.3 billion each. Lastly, Bulat Utemuratov, a shareholder of ForteBank and investor in hotels and telecom, clocks in at 979th with a $3.7 billion fortune. Forbes accounted for a record 3,028 billionaires in 2025, with a combined wealth of $16.1 trillion.
