The development of artificial intelligence technologies and the rise in stock markets have led to an unprecedented increase in global wealth. Over the year, the number of millionaires grew by nearly two million people, and the combined wealth of the wealthiest individuals on the planet reached a historic maximum of $98.3 trillion.
Optimism in the stock markets, driven by the development of artificial intelligence technologies, has helped nearly 2 million people worldwide become millionaires, while the combined wealth of the richest individuals has risen to a record $98.3 trillion. This is stated in the World Wealth Report by the consulting company Capgemini, the data of which is published by Bloomberg.
According to the study, by 2025, the combined wealth of individuals owning investment assets worth $1 million or more increased by nearly 9% and reached a record $98.3 trillion. For comparison, the global gross domestic product in 2024 was $111 trillion.
Artificial Intelligence Became the Main Driver of Wealth Growth
The authors of the report note that a key factor in capital accumulation has been the rise in stock markets, fueled by expectations related to the development of artificial intelligence. As a result, the number of millionaires in the world reached a new historical record — 25.3 million people.
The fortunes of ultra-rich individuals, whose assets exceed $30 million, grew particularly quickly. Their number increased to a record 250,000 individuals.
The largest contribution to the growth in the number of millionaires came from the United States. Over the year, 736,000 new millionaires emerged there, bringing the total number to 8.7 million.
According to Bloomberg, this trend may continue in the coming years.
"The upcoming initial public offering (IPO) of SpaceX will lead to the emergence of new millionaires and billionaires, and will almost certainly make Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. As companies like Anthropic and OpenAI also prepare for their debut on Wall Street, the richest people in the world will soon be able to add assets from some of the largest tech giants to their portfolios."
Asia Grows Faster Than All
The highest capital growth rates were recorded in the Asia-Pacific region — at 10.5%. Experts attribute this primarily to high demand for semiconductors and technology products.
Japan and China were the leaders in the number of new millionaires. In Japan, 436,000 new millionaires emerged over the year, while in China, the number was 154,000.
In Europe, the number of wealthy individuals increased by 6.5%. This was aided by slowing inflation and stabilizing financial markets.
In Africa, the rise in capital was supported by increasing prices for precious metals. At the same time, in the Middle East, the number of wealthy individuals decreased by 1.4% due to declining oil revenues and ongoing military conflicts. In Latin America, there was no significant increase in the number of millionaires and billionaires.
Wealth Grows Alongside Inequality
Along with the increase in total capital, wealth inequality is also intensifying. According to the study's data, by the end of 2025, the top 1% of the wealthiest households in the U.S. controlled nearly 32% of the country's total national wealth. This is the highest figure since 1989.
Additionally, experts note a significant redistribution of financial flows. Between 2022 and 2025, at least $1.5 trillion was transferred from traditional financial institutions to family offices and brokerage firms.
The AI boom is already having a noticeable impact not only on the technology sector but also on the global distribution of capital. The rise in stock prices of AI-related companies is contributing to the emergence of new millionaires and the increase in the wealth of the richest people in the world, writes bb.lv. However, at the same time, the concentration of wealth in the hands of a narrow group of capital owners is intensifying, making the issue of economic inequality one of the key topics in the coming years.
