The global billionaire population grew 8.2% last year, its fastest annual rise in five years
The AI boom helped create a record 3,795 billionaires, whose combined wealth soared 12.8% to $15.1 trillion last year, according to Altrata.
The report also found that the global billionaire population grew 8.2% last year, its fastest annual rise in five years.
Of the billionaires tracked in the report, 29 were worth more than $50 billion, earning them the “superbillionaire” label. Their combined fortunes account for 27% of all billionaire wealth. In 2017, only 10 people belonged to that group.
Technology companies benefited heavily from the AI frenzy. Altrata found that companies investing at least $30 million in AI over the past five years saw their market values grow 23% faster than companies that made smaller or no AI investments between 2024 and 2025.
Though AI stocks have created enormous fortunes, they’re highly volatile. Larry Ellison’s wealth fell $50 billion in a week in June, while Musk lost $18 billion in a single day in July.
Which country has the most uber-wealthy?
North America had the largest billionaire population, with 1,337, followed by Europe with 1,081 and Asia with 881. The US leads the world in billionaires, with 1,265 worth nearly $6.7 trillion combined.
New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles are the main hubs of US billionaire wealth.