Global Billionaire Wealth Hits Record High

On 19th January 2026, according to a report released by Oxfam, global billionaire wealth reached its highest level on record, with fortunes rising sharply and deepening economic and political inequalities.

Key Points:

Record Wealth Growth: Global billionaire wealth increased by 16% in 2025, reaching $18.3 trillion, marking an 81% rise since 2020.
Global Poverty Context: The surge occurred even as one in four people worldwide struggle to eat regularly and nearly half of the global population lives in poverty.
Data and Methodology: The report draws on academic research and data from sources including the World Inequality Database and Forbes’ rich list.
Political Power Concentration: Oxfam highlighted that billionaires are around 4,000 times more likely than ordinary citizens to hold political office, signalling a growing concentration of political influence.
Role of Artificial Intelligence: Rapidly rising valuations of AI companies contributed significantly to windfall gains for the ultra-wealthy.
Wealth Inequality Comparison: The $2.5 trillion added to billionaire fortunes in 2025 is roughly equal to the total wealth held by the poorest 4.1 billion people globally.
Rising Number of Billionaires: The global billionaire population crossed 3,000 for the first time, with Elon Musk becoming the first individual to surpass $500 billion in net worth.