The number of billionaires in the world has sharply increased

In 2025, the number of billionaires worldwide reached 2,919 people, which is 8.8 percent more compared to the previous year - such data is provided by UBS bank.

According to BAKU.WS with reference to the UBS study, the most rapid growth in wealth was in the industrial sector: +27.1 percent, to 1.7 trillion dollars. More than a quarter of the growth came from new billionaires. In the financial services sector, total wealth increased by 17 percent and reached 2.3 trillion dollars - thanks to strong markets and cryptocurrency recovery.

A record volume of inheritance is separately noted: in 2025, 91 heirs (64 men and 27 women) received 297.8 billion dollars - 36 percent more than the year before. Despite the fact that there are significantly more male billionaires (2,545 compared to 374 women), it is women who have been demonstrating faster rates of capital growth for four years in a row.

According to the bank's forecasts, the number of billionaires and millionaires will continue to increase in the coming decades. It is expected that by 2040, representatives of the ultra-wealthy class will transfer about 6.9 trillion dollars to their heirs.