Global Wealth Hits Record Highs in 2025 with Surging Millionaires, Israel Shows Unique Asset Profile

The Swiss banking giant UBS released its Global Wealth Report 2026, revealing that 2025 was an exceptional year for global wealth growth, with personal wealth increasing by over 10%. This rapid growth, the fastest in years, was driven by strong financial markets and a notable rise in non-financial assets. However, the report highlights a widening wealth gap, as average wealth rose while median wealth declined in most markets, indicating growing inequality.

The global millionaire population expanded by 1.5% in 2025, adding nearly one million new millionaires worldwide, over 2,680 daily. The United States led this surge, contributing nearly half of the new millionaires with more than 1,200 added each day. Luxembourg and Switzerland topped the millionaire density rankings, with Luxembourg having nearly one in six adults as millionaires. Regionally, Europe and the Middle East experienced the strongest wealth growth at nearly 18%, partly due to a weaker US dollar, while Asia-Pacific’s growth slowed to just above 5.9%.

Focusing on Israel, the report shows an average adult wealth of $312,108 and a median wealth of $83,843, ranking Israel 18th globally in average wealth and 24th in median wealth. A striking finding is Israel’s asset composition: 82.1% of gross wealth per adult is held in financial assets such as cash, deposits, securities, and investment funds, the highest proportion worldwide, surpassing Taiwan and the United States. Israeli debt accounts for 14.4% of gross wealth. Israel ranks 25th in wealth inequality with a Gini coefficient of 0.66.

UBS Chief Economist Paul Donovan commented on structural economic changes and public perceptions of wealth, noting that people compare their wealth relative to others rather than in absolute terms. He emphasized that social media has increased awareness of wealth inequality, making disparities more visible even if inequality decreases. Looking ahead, the report predicts ongoing upward mobility among lower wealth groups, potentially reshaping the traditional wealth pyramid during this decade.