Singapore Leads Wealth Migration Rankings as Europe’s Appeal Shifts

Singapore, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Hong Kong and New Zealand are the most attractive countries in the world for wealthy individuals in 2026, according to Henley & Partners’ Private Wealth Migration Report. At the same time, Britain, Germany, France, Norway and South Korea are under rising competitive pressure, as tax changes, fiscal uncertainty and policy reforms push affluent families and business owners to reconsider where they live and manage assets.

The report says wealth migration is no longer only about moving to one country. Instead, high-net-worth individuals are increasingly building a “sovereign portfolio” that combines residence, citizenship, investments and business interests across several countries. Italy is highlighted as one of Europe’s strongest success stories in 2026, helped by its tax regime for new residents, favorable inheritance rules and access to the European market. Greece is also benefiting from shifts in Europe’s investment visa landscape after Spain closed its golden visa program and Portugal ended its real estate investment route.

The United States and the Gulf are also major focus areas. The US remains the world’s main engine for new wealth creation, but it is also a major source of demand for foreign residence and citizenship. Henley & Partners said applications by Americans for a second residence or citizenship doubled in 2025 from the previous year, and the trend continued in 2026. Nearly half of those applications are for Europe, and more than a quarter are for Latin America and the Caribbean. In the Gulf, the UAE still scores strongly for taxes, personal security, global connectivity and long-term residence options, but regional tensions have increased demand for alternatives: inquiries from UAE residents rose 41% between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, while applications for alternative residence or citizenship rose 29%.

In the first five months of 2026, Henley & Partners received applications from citizens of 86 countries through 47 investment migration programs. More than 28% of applicants already live outside their country of citizenship, underscoring the spread of multi-country wealth planning. The report also introduces the Global Wealth Mobility Framework, which scores countries on taxes, investor migration routes, quality of life, rule of law, family integration, geopolitical stability and capital mobility. Singapore led the rankings with 79.5 out of 100, followed by New Zealand at 75.8. The UAE scored 85.3, the highest in the report, while Germany scored 69.7, Norway 69.0, Britain 68.3, South Korea 66.2 and France 65.7.