Global Billionaire Count Hits Record High, AI Boom Drives Wealth Growth

UBS data shows the number of billionaires worldwide jumped 13% to a record 3,302. Over the year through April, the super-rich saw their wealth grow 25% on average, way above the global personal wealth growth of 10.8%. Among them, 18 people have fortunes between $50 billion and $100 billion, while 19 have over $100 billion, with 15 of the top richest living in the US.

UBS economist James Mazzo says the AI boom is a key driver for this wealth surge. Most billionaires' wealth is tied to public companies, so stock market gains directly boost their pockets. Meanwhile, the millionaire club is expanding fast, adding nearly 1 million new members in 2025 to reach over 57.5 million total. The US added more than 440,000, but Europe and the Middle East saw higher growth rates, with Turkey up 6.4%.

Despite the rapid wealth growth among the rich, the global wealth gap is still widening. The World Inequality Report shows that the top 0.001% of the population—fewer than 60,000 people—control three times the wealth of the poorest half of the world.