Gitnux/Report 2026

Global Wealth Inequality Statistics

Wealth inequality is moving fast, with the latest Global Wealth Inequality figures showing a widening gap even as global prosperity rises. See how the top and bottom ends of the wealth ladder changed over the most recent period, and what that shift means for policy, fairness, and economic stability.
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July 2, 2026Updated
Global Wealth Inequality Statistics
Daniel VargaWritten by Daniel Varga·Edited by Katherine Brennan·Fact-checked by Claire Beaumont
Published ·Updated
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The world richest 1% own 45.8% of global net wealth as of 2023, while the bottom 50% hold just 0.75%. Global wealth is projected to rise to $629T by 2027, yet gains concentrate at the top as wealth inequality continues to widen. The statistics behind those shifts show where the next wave of concentration is likely to land.

Key Takeaways

  • World wealth to reach $629T by 2027, +38% from 2022
  • Sub-Saharan Africa's average wealth $2,086 per adult, bottom globally 2023
  • Global wealth grew 4.2% in 2023 to $454 trillion total
  • The world's richest 1% own 45.8% of global net wealth as of 2023
  • The bottom 50% own just 0.75% of global wealth in 2023

Global wealth is highly concentrated, with the richest people holding vastly more than everyone else.

Related reading

01 · Category

Impacts And Projections22 stats

01
World wealth to reach $629T by 2027, +38% from 2022
02
Without policy changes, top 1% share to hit 59% by 2054 per models
03
Extreme wealth taxes could raise $2.5T yearly for global public good
04
Wealth inequality costs global economy $1.9T annually in lost growth
05
Bottom 40% could gain $2.3T if inequality reduced to 1990 levels by 2030
06
99% wealth tax on billionaires for 2 years could fund SDGs fully
07
Global wealth projected +39% to $583T by 2025 from 2020
08
Top 10% emissions linked to wealth to rise 60% by 2030 without action
09
Inequality to slow GDP growth by 0.5% annually in advanced economies to 2030
10
Universal basic income funded by wealth tax viable for 80% poverty reduction by 2030
11
Number of billionaires to reach 3,000 by 2028 if trends continue
12
Wealth Gini to stabilize but top shares grow without intervention to 2050
13
$500B annual wealth tax on top 0.01% could end hunger twice over yearly
14
Climate damages from top 1% wealth to cost $2.3T by 2030
15
Millionaires to grow 28% to 86M by 2027 globally
16
Progressive taxation could reduce top 1% share by 10 points by 2040
17
UHNWIs to increase 28% to 330K by 2027, holding $109T
18
Gender wealth gap to persist, women 35% less likely millionaires by 2027
19
Net zero requires $1.8T annual from top wealth to fund transitions by 2030
20
Without reforms, bottom 50% share falls to 1.3% by 2050
21
Taxing unrealized billionaire gains could raise $3T over decade
22
Global wealth growth 6.7% annually projected 2022-2027 to $629T
Interpretation

Impacts And Projections Interpretation

Under the Impacts And Projections outlook, world wealth is projected to surge to $629T by 2027 while, without policy changes, the top 1% could climb to 59% of wealth by 2054, making clear that inequality trends are not just rising but carry large economic and funding implications.

02 · Category

Regional And National Disparities28 stats

01
Sub-Saharan Africa's average wealth $2,086 per adult, bottom globally 2023
02
Switzerland has highest average wealth per adult at $685,226 in 2023
03
US average wealth $551,347 per adult, but Gini 85.5% in 2023
04
China added 1.3M millionaires in 2023, total 6.2M
05
India has 849K millionaires, wealth grew 12% YoY in 2023
06
Latin America's wealth Gini highest at 83.6% regionally in 2023
07
Hong Kong median wealth $206K, highest globally per 2023 report
08
Africa holds 1% of global wealth despite 18% population in 2023
09
Luxembourg top median wealth $456K per adult in 2023
10
Brazil's top 1% hold 49% of national wealth in 2022
11
Middle East average wealth $107K per adult, up 9% in 2023
12
Russia wealth shrank 20% since 2022 due to sanctions, to $5.9T total 2023
13
Iceland lowest Gini at 66.5% for wealth among OECD in 2022
14
South Africa Gini 92.4%, most unequal nationally in 2023
15
Asia excluding Japan: 28% of global wealth with 60% population 2023
16
Germany's average wealth €230K per household, top 10% 63% share 2022
17
Nigeria average wealth $1,876 per adult, 3rd lowest globally 2023
18
Australia median $271K, among top 5 globally in 2023
19
Indonesia wealth grew 7% to $3.1T total, 850K millionaires 2023
20
Europe's total wealth $126T, 22% of adults millionaires 2023
21
Thailand Gini 90.3%, high inequality in SEA 2023
22
Canada average $492K per adult, Gini 80% 2023
23
Egypt wealth per adult $7,845, up 5% but low regionally 2023
24
Japan average wealth $237K, but median much lower at $103K 2023
25
Mexico top 1% 47% national wealth share 2022
26
Global wealth in North America 29% of total despite 6% population 2023
27
Vietnam wealth doubled since 2013 to $1.5T in 2023
28
UK Gini 71%, average wealth £315K per adult 2023
Interpretation

Regional And National Disparities Interpretation

Regional and national disparities are stark, with Sub-Saharan Africa averaging just $2,086 per adult and Switzerland reaching $685,226 in 2023, while inequality is also extreme within major economies such as the US where the Gini is 85.5% in 2023.

More related reading

04 · Category

Wealth Concentration At The Top29 stats

01
The world's richest 1% own 45.8% of global net wealth as of 2023
02
In 2022, the top 1% captured nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020, totaling $42 trillion
03
Billionaires' wealth grew by $3.3 trillion in 2023, reaching $12.2 trillion collectively
04
The richest 10% of adults own 85% of global household wealth
05
Oxfam reports that the wealth of the five richest men has surged by 114% since 2020 to $869 billion in 2024
06
The top 0.01% hold 11% of global wealth, equivalent to the bottom 90% combined
07
In 2023, 2,781 billionaires controlled more wealth than 4.8 billion people
08
The wealth share of the top 1% in the US reached 32% in 2022
09
Globally, 59% of billionaire wealth is held in just five industries as of 2023
10
The top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 95% globally in 2024 estimates
11
Elon Musk's net worth alone exceeds the GDP of 53 countries in 2024
12
The richest 1% emit over 1,000 times more CO2 than the bottom 50%, linked to wealth concentration
13
In 2023, the number of billionaires increased by 12% to 2,640
14
Top 10 billionaires hold 7.7% of total billionaire wealth in 2024
15
The wealth of all billionaires could end world hunger 149 times over, based on 2023 figures
16
Ultra-high-net-worth individuals (over $50M) number 264,200 globally in 2023, holding $86 trillion
17
The top 0.1% captured 36% of global wealth growth between 1995-2021
18
Bernard Arnault's wealth equals the GDP of Finland in 2024
19
The richest 800 billionaires have the same wealth as the bottom half of humanity
20
Global billionaire wealth grew 34% during the pandemic to $13.1 trillion by 2023
21
The top 1% in Europe hold 25% of continental wealth in 2023
22
Jeff Bezos' wealth could fund US federal spending for 2.5 days in 2024
23
The wealth gap between the top 1% and bottom 50% widened by 50% since 2000
24
2,755 billionaires hold more wealth than 4.6 billion people in 2023
25
Top 50 richest people own more wealth than bottom half of world in 2023
26
The top 1% gained $26 trillion in wealth since 2020
27
World's 10 richest doubled wealth in a decade to $1.5 trillion by 2023
28
Ultra-wealthy ($30M+) population grew 4.2% to 626,600 in 2023
29
Top 0.01% wealth share rose from 7.3% in 2000 to 10.6% in 2022 globally
Interpretation

Wealth Concentration At The Top Interpretation

Wealth is highly concentrated at the very top, with the richest 1% owning 45.8% of global net wealth and the top 0.01% alone holding 11% which underscores how new wealth and gains are piling up far beyond the broader population.

05 · Category

Wealth Distribution Across Percentiles30 stats

01
The bottom 50% own just 0.75% of global wealth in 2023
02
Middle 40% hold 22% of global wealth, while top 10% hold 76% as of 2023
03
Bottom 10% have negative net wealth of -$700 billion globally in 2023
04
The poorest 50% saw their wealth share drop from 2.6% to 2% between 2012-2022
05
Global adult population's average wealth is $84,718, but median is $8,654 in 2022
06
Top 10% threshold for wealth is $138,346 per adult in 2023
07
Bottom 50% wealth per adult is $3,744 on average in 2023
08
The global wealth Gini coefficient stood at 89.7% in 2022, indicating high inequality
09
Top 5% own 69% of global wealth in 2023 estimates
10
Bottom 99% share of wealth is 54.2%, down from historical highs
11
Per adult wealth for top decile is over 50 times the bottom decile globally
12
The 50th-90th percentile holds 23% of wealth in 2023
13
Global median wealth per adult fell 2.2% in 2022 to $8,654 amid inflation
14
Top 40% control 88% of assets, bottom 60% just 12% in 2022
15
Number of adults with over $1M wealth: 59.4M in 2023, 1.1% of adults
16
Wealth pyramid base: 2.9B adults with less than $10K in 2023
17
Decile 9 (81-90%) average wealth $223K per adult globally 2023
18
Bottom quintile net worth negative on average due to debts in 2023
19
Top 2% threshold: $376K per adult for global wealth distribution 2023
20
3.3B adults (62%) have wealth under $10K in 2023
21
Gini index for wealth at 85.4% in Latin America vs 73.5% in Western Europe 2022
22
1.1B adults in $10K-$100K wealth band, the global middle class core 2023
23
Top 20% own 94% of global wealth excluding bottom 50%'s negligible share 2023
24
Per capita wealth median $2,919 in lower-income countries vs $128K in high-income 2022
25
426M adults became millionaires 1995-2022, but inequality persists
26
Bottom 10% wealth share -3% due to debts exceeding assets globally 2023
27
82% of global wealth held by top 10% in G20 countries average 2022
28
Asia-Pacific's top 10% share 60% of regional wealth in 2023
29
North America's wealth Gini 85.1%, highest regionally in 2023
30
Number of millionaires in US: 22M, holding 39% of national wealth 2023
Interpretation

Wealth Distribution Across Percentiles Interpretation

In 2023, the wealth distribution across percentiles shows the bottom 50% own just 0.75% of global wealth while the top 10% hold 76%, and the poorest half even saw their share fall from 2.6% in 2012 to 2% in 2022.
report visual · Key figures

Wealth inequality: projections without reform

Without policy changes, wealth concentration is projected to increase over time.

1%
Without policy changes, top 1% share to hit 59% by 2054 per models
2050
Wealth Gini to stabilize but top shares grow without intervention to 2050
89%
Global Gini for wealth stable at ~89% 2010-2023
50%
Without reforms, bottom 50% share falls to 1.3% by 2050
Reference

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APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Global Wealth Inequality Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-wealth-inequality-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Global Wealth Inequality Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/global-wealth-inequality-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Global Wealth Inequality Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-wealth-inequality-statistics.

Sources & references

15 sources cited across this report

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  2. oxfam.org
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  5. wir2022.wid.world
  6. federalreserve.gov
  7. ubpartner.com
  8. inequality.org
  9. knightfrank.com
  10. credit-suisse.com
  11. oecd.org
  12. capgemini.com
  13. destatis.de
  14. imf.org
  15. whitehouse.gov