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The global billionaire population also hit an all-time high of 3,795 people, an 8.2% annual increase — the largest jump in five years
Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
Fueled by the artificial intelligence investment boom, the world's billionaire population stood at an unprecedented 3,795 people in 2025, while their aggregate fortunes swelled 12.8% to a record $15.1 trillion, according to the Billionaire Census 2026 published by wealth intelligence firm Altrata.
The 8.2% expansion in billionaire headcount was the strongest annual increase in five years, capping a decade in which the billionaire class grew by nearly 60%, the report found. Total billionaire wealth now equals roughly a quarter of the total market capitalization of the S&P 500 in 2025.
