Zurich, June 30 - Swiss bank UBS reported in its annual Global Wealth Report that personal wealth expanded sharply in 2025, creating almost one million new U.S. dollar millionaires around the world. The bank described the year as one of unusually strong growth in household wealth, driven in large part by buoyant financial markets.
Key empirical findings
- Total personal wealth globally increased by 10.8% in 2025, a marked acceleration from 4.6% growth in 2024 and 4.2% in 2023, according to UBS.
- UBS said there were "more millionaires than ever, everywhere" in 2025. The United States was the largest contributor to the rise in dollar millionaires, with over 440,000 people reaching million-dollar status, representing nearly half of the global increase.
- The bank noted that wealth measured in U.S. dollar terms rose especially fast in Europe, a pattern the report attributes largely to the U.S. dollar weakening against the euro over the year.
Inequality and distributional signals
UBS emphasized a divergence between average and median measures of wealth. While average (mean) wealth climbed, median wealth - a statistic that better represents the midpoint of the distribution - declined in most countries. The report frames this as an indication that gains were concentrated among wealthier households, deepening inequality since 2020.
Scope and methodology note
For the Global Wealth Report, UBS analysed 56 markets which it estimates together account for more than 92% of the world's wealth. The bank used those markets as the basis for its global aggregates and distributional assessments.
Implications highlighted in the report
The report links the acceleration in total personal wealth to strong financial market performance during the year and to currency movements that increased dollar-denominated wealth in parts of Europe. At the same time, the decline in median wealth across most countries signals a widening divide between the highest-wealth households and the broader population, a trend the bank notes has become more pronounced since 2020.
Summary
UBS's 2025 Global Wealth Report finds a rapid rise in global personal wealth, with a 10.8% increase that produced nearly one million new U.S. dollar millionaires. The United States accounted for over 440,000 of those new millionaires, while European dollar-denominated wealth benefited from a depreciating U.S. dollar versus the euro. Despite rising averages, median wealth fell in most countries, reflecting deeper inequality since 2020. UBS based its analysis on 56 markets representing over 92% of global wealth.