Billionaires' wealth hits new peak as their clout grow

Billionaire wealth surged at three times its recent pace last year to reach its highest level on record, deepening economic and political divides that threaten democratic stability.



Anti-poverty group Oxfam in a statement, timed for the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the fortunes of global billionaires jumped 16% in 2025 to $18.3 trillion, extending an 81% rise since 2020.



The gains happened even as one in four people worldwide struggle to eat regularly and nearly half the global population live in poverty.



Oxfam’s study, which draws on academic research and data sources ranging from the World Inequality Database to Forbes' rich list, argues that the wealth boom is being matched by a dramatic concentration of political clout, with billionaires 4,000 times more likely than ordinary citizens to hold political office.

The group links the latest wealth surge to policies under U.S. President Donald Trump, whose second administration has cut taxes, shielded multinational corporations from international pressure and eased scrutiny of monopolies.



Soaring valuations of artificial intelligence companies ‌have added further windfall gains for already wealthy investors.