Almost one million people became new millionaires in 2025, as rising stock markets and stronger financial assets drove one of the biggest annual increases in global wealth in recent years, according to the latest UBS Global Wealth Report.
The report found that global personal wealth increased by 10.8% last year, with around 900,000 people joining the ranks of US dollar millionaires. The United States accounted for nearly half of those new millionaires, helped by strong gains in equities, particularly AI and technology stocks.
The rapid rise in wealth reflects another strong year for financial markets, but the gains were far from evenly shared.
Some of the report’s biggest findings include:
- Global wealth rose 10.8% in 2025.
- Around 900,000 people became new millionaires.
- The US created more than 440,000 new millionaires, the highest total of any country.
- Financial assets, especially stocks, were the biggest driver of wealth growth.
At the same time, UBS warned that wealth inequality continues to widen. While average wealth reached a record high, much of the increase was concentrated among households with significant investments in financial markets. Many lower- and middle-income families saw little benefit from the rally as higher living costs and housing affordability remained major challenges.
The report also noted that the “everyday millionaire” population, people with between $1 million and $5 million in assets, continues to grow steadily and now holds a significant share of global wealth. This group has expanded much faster than the number of billionaires over the past two decades.
For investors, the findings reinforce how strong equity markets and AI-driven gains continue to create wealth for asset owners. However, they also highlight a growing divide between those who benefit from rising financial markets and those who rely mainly on wages.
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