world's richest people saw their wealth skyrocket in 2025. According to investment bank UBS, the 500 richest people on Earth amassed additional $2.2 trillion last year. Their stratospheric earnings increased their collective net worth to $11.9 trillion. Bloomberg Billionaires Index reports that eight multi-billionaires topped mega-rich list and accounted for quarter of gains. These included Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Larry Page. Guardian newspaper said gains were "bolstered" by Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, "and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, equities and metals".
Many organizations were less than impressed at accumulation of world's wealth in so few hands. The international charity Oxfam highlighted growing disparity in wealth. It said: "Inequality is deliberate policy choice. Despite record wealth at top, public wealth is stagnating, even declining, and debt distress is growing. Inequality rips away life opportunities and rights from majority of citizens, sparking poverty, hunger, resentment, distrust, and instability." British climate scientist Bill McGuire warned that "if monstrous political-economic system that is tearing our planet...and its people apart isn't brought to its knees, then humanity will be".
