The wealth of the world's billionaires reached $15.1 trillion last year, per a new report

The ranks of the world's billionaires hit a record 3,795 people in 2025 as the artificial intelligence boom turbocharged wealth creation across the globe, according to a recent report published by Altrata. That finding marks an 8.2% uptick in billionaire headcount, the largest annual jump in five years. The combined wealth of the world's billionaires surged by 12.8% to a record $15.1 trillion last year.

Altrata identified 150 publicly listed companies that contributed the most to billionaire wealth. Firms investing at least $30 million in AI over the past five years outperformed those that did not by 23% in market capitalization growth from 2024 through 2025. Wall Street's AI fervor also contributed to the widening wealth gap in the three-comma club, according to Maya Imberg, head of thought leadership and analytics at Altrata.

The report identified 29 'superbillionaires'—individuals worth more than $50 billion—with a combined net worth of $4.1 trillion, or 27% of all billionaire wealth. In 2017, there were only 10 superbillionaires, representing 7.2% of all billionaire wealth. While tech stocks created historic fortunes, wealth tied to AI-exposed tech stocks can be volatile.

Imberg noted that many of the richest billionaires, whose companies are tech-focused, will experience rapid gains and losses in response to AI market trends. This year saw wild swings in the stock market, including a $1.3 trillion selloff in major chip stocks in July. For the richest of the rich, this translates into staggering gains and losses in paper wealth, such as an $18 billion one-day drop for Elon Musk and a $50 billion week-long plunge for Larry Ellison.

Imberg warned that market concentration in tech, particularly AI, introduces significant risk. North America’s billionaire population, the largest globally at 1,337 people, grew by 11.6% in 2025, faster than any other region. Europe’s billionaire ranks stood at 1,081 after a 7.9% jump, while Asia’s reached 881 after a 6.5% increase.

Despite AI’s impact, 2025 was an unusually positive year for asset classes, delivering positive returns for the first time since the pandemic, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.

Source: CNBC