May 20, 2026 | 06:21 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The most common way to measure a nation’s prosperity has long been through gross domestic product (GDP). By that measure, Luxembourg has consistently ranked among the richest countries in the world, largely driven by its strong banking and financial sector. However, a new study suggests that the usual scorecard may not fully capture which country is truly the wealthiest. Financial services comparison site HelloSafe argues that being considered one of the richest countries should go beyond economic output alone and reflect how wealth translates into the everyday lives of its citizens. The HelloSafe Prosperity Index 2026 ranks 31 advanced economies based on five official indicators drawn from the IMF, World Bank, UNDP, and OECD. It uses data from these institutions to assess factors such as economic strength, human development, and income distribution.After the analysis, Norway takes the top spot as the richest country in the world, earning a score of 77.65 out of 100. The country’s ranking is driven by the highest GNI in the panel, combined with exemplary social indicators.Meanwhile, Luxembourg, long widely recognized as the world’s richest country by GDP, drops to third place. With a score of 74.39, it falls behind Ireland, which scores 75.06. Both countries stand out for their exceptional economic performance and world-class social indicators.List of the Richest Countries in the World 2026Norway - 77.65Ireland - 75.06Luxembourg - 74.39Switzerland - 72.46Iceland - 72.23Singapore - 66.43Denmark - 65.78Netherlands - 58.17Belgium - 54.83Sweden - 54.62Iceland and Denmark rank fifth and seventh, respectively. Their advanced social systems and high levels of human development support these rankings. Nearly rounding out the ranking, Belgium secures ninth place, powered by its balanced income distribution, which is among the most equitable in Western Europe.The rest of the top 10 is dominated by European countries, with only one exception—Singapore in sixth place. Remarkably, it is the only non-European country to make the top 10. However, Singapore received a zero score on the income inequality indicator despite its strong economic performance.Read: Prabowo Says Indonesia Could Become World's Fourth Richest NationClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
