Billionaires' wealth reaches new peak - Oxfam: Their influence on the world is growing
The wealth of billionaires grew three times faster than the previous year, reaching the highest level ever recorded, deepening economic and political divisions that threaten democratic stability, anti-poverty group Oxfam said.
In a report released for the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the charity said the wealth of global billionaires rose by 16% in 2025 to $18.3 trillion, extending an 81% increase since 2020.
The advances occurred even though one in four people worldwide struggle to eat regularly and nearly half of the global population lives in poverty.
The Oxfam study, which draws on academic research and data sources ranging from the World Inequality Database to the Forbes rich list, argues that the wealth boom is being accompanied by a dramatic concentration of political influence, with billionaires 4,000 times more likely than ordinary citizens to hold political office.
The group links the recent surge in wealth to policies under US President Donald Trump, whose second administration has cut taxes, shielded multinational corporations from international pressure and eased scrutiny of monopolies.
The soaring valuations of artificial intelligence companies have added further windfall profits to already wealthy investors.
Oxfam called on governments to adopt national plans to reduce inequality, impose higher taxes on extreme wealth and strengthen the protective walls between money and politics, including curbing lobbying and campaign finance.
Wealth taxes are only imposed in a few countries like Norway at present, but others, from Britain to France and Italy, have debated similar moves.
The Nairobi-based charity calculates that the $2.5 trillion added to billionaire wealth last year is roughly equal to the stock of wealth held by the poorest 4.1 billion people.
The world's billionaire population passed 3,000 for the first time last year, with Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk becoming the first individual to surpass $500 billion in net worth.
Oxfam warned that governments are “making the wrong choices to please the elite,” citing aid cuts and restrictions on civil liberties. The report highlights what it calls the expanding control of ultra-rich business figures over traditional and digital media.
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