Imagine a world where the richest 1% own nearly half of everything, while the average person's wealth is just a fraction of that staggering total.
Key Takeaways
- Total global wealth reached USD 454.4 trillion at year-end 2022, marking a 3.3% increase from 2021.
- Global wealth grew by USD 14.8 trillion in 2022 despite market volatility.
- From 2000 to 2022, global wealth expanded by 147% in nominal terms.
- Top 10% of adults own 85% of global wealth in 2022.
- Bottom 50% of adults own less than 1% of global wealth in 2022.
- 1.1% of adults are millionaires holding 47.8% of world wealth in 2022.
- United States holds 30% of global wealth with 4.5% of population.
- China’s total household wealth reached USD 85.1 trillion in 2022.
- Japan's average wealth per adult is USD 235,000 in 2022.
- Global wealth Gini coefficient stands at 0.894 in 2021 data.
- US wealth Gini is 0.851, highest among G7 nations.
- South Africa has world's highest wealth Gini at 0.909.
- Number of global millionaires reached 59.4 million in 2022.
- US hosts 22 million HNWIs, 37% of global total.
- UHNWIs (over USD 30m) number 264,200 worldwide in 2023.
Despite some decline in developed nations, global wealth continues to grow while inequality remains stark.
HNWI and UHNWIs
- Number of global millionaires reached 59.4 million in 2022.
- US hosts 22 million HNWIs, 37% of global total.
- UHNWIs (over USD 30m) number 264,200 worldwide in 2023.
- Global billionaire count hit 2,640 with USD 12.2 trillion wealth.
- China has 969 billionaires, second after US's 735.
- Number of centi-millionaires grew 12% to 29,350 in 2023.
- HNWI population to grow 28% to 86 million by 2027.
- USD 30m+ UHNWIs wealth totals USD 34 trillion globally.
- India added 110 billionaires, total 169 in 2023.
- Singapore has 335 billionaires per million residents highest.
- Global millionaire wealth USD 217 trillion in 2022.
- US UHNWIs 103,000, holding 40% of national wealth.
- Elon Musk richest with USD 219 billion net worth 2023.
- Number of USD 100m+ fortunes up 9% to 84,000 globally.
- Asia-Pacific HNWIs grew 5.1% to 8.5 million in 2022.
- Europe 17 million millionaires, 29% of world total.
- Bernard Arnault second richest USD 211 billion 2023.
- Middle East UHNWIs up 8% to 8,900 in 2023.
- Australia 1.8 million HNWIs with USD 2.9 trillion wealth.
HNWI and UHNWIs Interpretation
Beneath the staggering headline of 59.4 million global millionaires lies a pyramid so steep that its apex—where 2,640 billionaires sit atop $12.2 trillion—makes the fabled 'one percent' look like a sprawling, democratic mob.
Inequality Measures
- Global wealth Gini coefficient stands at 0.894 in 2021 data.
- US wealth Gini is 0.851, highest among G7 nations.
- South Africa has world's highest wealth Gini at 0.909.
- Ratio of top 10% to bottom 50% wealth is 8,000:1 globally.
- Brazil wealth Gini coefficient is 0.894 in 2022.
- Europe average wealth Gini 0.72, lowest regionally.
- Top 1% income share correlates with 0.79 wealth Gini globally.
- Russia wealth Gini rose to 0.87 post-2022 events.
- China Gini for wealth 0.71, improving from 0.73 in 2015.
- India wealth Gini at 0.83, among highest in Asia.
- Slovakia has lowest Gini in Europe at 0.51 for wealth.
- Theil index for global wealth inequality is 67 in 2022.
- US top 1% wealth share 35.2%, Gini driver.
- Latin America average Gini 0.81, highest continentally.
- Japan wealth Gini stable at 0.64, low inequality.
- Threshold for top 10% wealth globally is USD 138,000.
- Bottom 50% threshold for wealth is under USD 4,210 worldwide.
- Wealth Palma ratio globally 3.5 (top 10%/bottom 40%).
- Sub-Saharan Africa Gini average 0.86 for wealth.
- France wealth Gini 0.70, moderate among peers.
- Global P90/P50 ratio for wealth is 37.3 in 2022.
- Top 1% wealth threshold USD 1.15 million globally.
Inequality Measures Interpretation
The world's wealth is so concentrated that crossing the seemingly modest threshold to join the global top 10% instantly places you leagues above half of humanity, yet still a million miles from the true peaks of fortune where a handful of fortunes tilt the entire planet's scale.
National Wealth Levels
- United States holds 30% of global wealth with 4.5% of population.
- China’s total household wealth reached USD 85.1 trillion in 2022.
- Japan's average wealth per adult is USD 235,000 in 2022.
- Germany has 2.9 million HNWIs with total wealth USD 11 trillion.
- India’s wealth grew 10% annually, totaling USD 11.3 trillion in 2022.
- Switzerland median wealth per adult is USD 168,080 highest globally.
- UK total wealth USD 15.3 trillion, average per adult USD 194,000.
- France has 2.5 million millionaires holding USD 12 trillion wealth.
- Australia average wealth per adult USD 551,000, second highest.
- Canada total private wealth USD 11.2 trillion in 2022.
- Brazil wealth per adult average USD 48,000 with high inequality.
- South Korea added 400,000 millionaires, total wealth USD 7.8 trillion.
- Netherlands average wealth USD 291,000 per adult in 2022.
- Russia total wealth USD 5.1 trillion despite sanctions impact.
- Saudi Arabia UHNWIs number 11,400 with wealth over USD 100bn total.
- Sweden median wealth USD 90,000 per adult, low inequality.
- Italy total household wealth USD 10.2 trillion in 2022.
- Spain average wealth per adult USD 182,000, growth 4.1% in 2022.
- Mexico wealth Gini 0.84, total wealth USD 2.5 trillion.
- Singapore has highest millionaire density, 8.8% of population.
- Belgium average wealth USD 256,000 per adult in 2022.
- Turkey total wealth USD 1.8 trillion, average USD 20,000 per adult.
- Norway wealth per adult USD 497,000, high due to funds.
- Indonesia emerging wealth USD 3.2 trillion total in 2022.
- Hong Kong average wealth USD 582,000 per adult highest.
National Wealth Levels Interpretation
The statistics paint a world where a mere 4.5% of the global population in the U.S. controls a staggering 30% of its wealth, a reality of extreme concentration that makes the impressive growth elsewhere, from China's colossal totals to India's rapid rise, feel like a game of economic catch-up played on a field tilted by decades of advantage.
Total Wealth and Growth
- Total global wealth reached USD 454.4 trillion at year-end 2022, marking a 3.3% increase from 2021.
- Global wealth grew by USD 14.8 trillion in 2022 despite market volatility.
- From 2000 to 2022, global wealth expanded by 147% in nominal terms.
- Average global wealth per adult was USD 84,718 in 2022.
- Median global wealth per adult stood at USD 8,654 in 2022.
- Global wealth in real terms (inflation-adjusted) grew by 2.4% in 2022.
- Non-financial assets accounted for 52% of global wealth in 2022.
- Financial assets made up 48% of total global wealth at end-2022.
- Global wealth is projected to rise 38% to USD 629 trillion by 2027.
- Wealth growth in 2022 was driven by emerging markets contributing 8.5% growth.
- Developed markets saw global wealth decline by 2.2% in 2022.
- Global household debt reached USD 58.7 trillion in 2022.
- Net worth per adult in the world averaged USD 93,170 in PPP terms in 2022.
- Global wealth per adult in USD terms rose from USD 7,522 in 2000 to USD 84,718 in 2022.
- Real wealth growth per adult averaged 3.9% annually from 2000-2022.
- Total global wealth in 2019 was USD 418 trillion.
- Global wealth contracted by 2.3% in 2022 due to equity and bond market losses.
- Projected global wealth growth rate is 6.7% annually to 2027.
- Asia-Pacific region contributed 48% to global wealth growth since 2000.
- Global real estate wealth totals USD 280 trillion as of 2023 estimates.
- Equities represent 27% of global financial assets in 2022.
- Global wealth in 2023 is estimated at USD 473 trillion post-recovery.
- Annual global wealth growth averaged 6.5% from 2008-2022.
- Debts subtracted USD 223 trillion from gross assets in 2022 globally.
- Global wealth Gini coefficient for wealth was 0.89 in 2022.
- Top 1% hold 45.8% of global wealth in 2022.
- Bottom 50% hold just 2.0% of global wealth as of 2022.
- Global wealth reached USD 463 trillion by mid-2023 estimates.
- Financial wealth growth outpaced non-financial by 4.1% in emerging markets 2022.
- Global private wealth assets under management hit USD 250 trillion in 2023.
- The richest 1% captured 63% of all new wealth created since 2020.
Total Wealth and Growth Interpretation
While global wealth is growing at a respectable clip overall, it's galling to see it's still a private party where the richest 1% are hogging 63% of the new chips and the bottom half of the world is left splitting a single can of soda.
Wealth Distribution by Percentiles
- Top 10% of adults own 85% of global wealth in 2022.
- Bottom 50% of adults own less than 1% of global wealth in 2022.
- 1.1% of adults are millionaires holding 47.8% of world wealth in 2022.
- Adults with wealth over USD 100,000 represent 8.5% of population but 80% of wealth.
- Global wealth Gini index was 88.4% in 2022.
- 59% of global wealth is owned by top 10% of households in 2023.
- Middle 40% hold 22% of total global wealth in 2022.
- 2.7 billion adults have wealth below USD 10,000 in 2022.
- Wealth share of top 1% rose from 42.3% in 2010 to 45.8% in 2022.
- 719 million adults in wealth range USD 10k-100k hold 12.2% of wealth.
- Ultra-high-net-worth individuals (over USD 50m) hold 11% of global wealth.
- Bottom 10% negative or negligible wealth share is -0.4% net in 2022.
- 42,000 adults have wealth over USD 100 million, owning 12.5% of total wealth.
- Wealth pyramid base: 2.9 billion adults under USD 10k wealth.
- Top 0.1% control 17.3% of global wealth in latest data.
- 86% of adults have wealth under USD 100,000 but hold only 13% of wealth.
- Decile 9 (90-95%) holds 6.8% of global wealth in 2022.
- P90-P99 wealth share is 38.5% globally per 2022 reports.
- P99.9-P100 (top 0.01%) own 5.2% of world wealth.
- 53 million USD 1m-5m wealth holders own 15.2% of wealth.
- Global wealth share of adults >USD 1m rose to 47.8% in 2022.
- 1.8% of population (millionaires) control nearly half of wealth.
- Bottom half's wealth share declined to 2% from 3.2% in 2000.
- Top 5% own 70.2% of global personal wealth in 2022.
- 84,000 centi-millionaires (>USD 100m) hold 9.8% wealth.
Wealth Distribution by Percentiles Interpretation
If the global economy were a high-stakes poker game, the top 10% are playing with almost the entire deck, the middle 40% are sharing a few decent cards, and the bottom 50% are stuck watching from the rail, hoping for the dealer to drop a chip.
Sources & References
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