The super-rich are getting richer, and the global wealth map is being redrawn. Altrata’s new World Ultra Wealth Report 2026 reveals where fortunes are being made, who’s joining the billionaire class and how wealth creation is changing.

Altrata is a data intelligence company focused on “wealthy individuals, executives and their networks.” 

The company claims to have profiles of over 100 million individuals (!), noting the report “leverages Altrata’s unique and proprietary database, the world’s most extensive collection of curated research and intelligence on the wealthy.”

Measuring global wealth is not straightforward. Private banks and luxury reports use slightly different methodologies, so their estimates often vary. A striking example is the size of the global UHNW population: Altrata puts it at 556,850, while Knight Frank’s recent Wealth Report estimates 713,626.

Regardless, there are interesting insights within the numbers, and the report is a useful reminder of the makeup and rapid growth in the world’s wealthy over the last two decades. 

Figures are all built around high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs) as those with over $1 million in assets, and ultra-high-net-worth-individuals (UHNWIs) as having $30 million or more.

Let’s dive in… 

The report shows that in 2025 there were just over 50 million HNWIs worldwide, not excessive when considering the world’s population is +8 billion.

Of those 50 million, the world’s UHNWIs make up just 556,850, or 1.1%. This sub-group of the world’s wealthiest includes the growing number of billionaires out there, and accounts for 32% of larger groups wealth, with $63.8 trillion in assets.

Perhaps most notable though is the rate of growth: UHNWIs have grown at a rate of 255% in last 20 years, and grew 14.4% last year alone.

Wealth is concentrated in global hubs, but it’s perhaps even more concentrated than you’d think. Three-quarters of the global UHNW population reside in just ten countries, and the United States leads these by some way, home to 37% of the global UHNW population. It’s followed by China and Germany, but with significant differences.  

As expected based on total growth, all ten top UHNW countries reflected growth in the last year, with Hong Hong showing the highest growth. The United Kingdom even reflected 16% growth, despite the headlines on an ongoing wealth exodus. 

When it comes to the most UHNW-populated cities, New York wins and is also the city home to the most billionaires as well as the most millionaires. Hong Kong and Los Angeles take second and third. Worth noting that billionaire hotspot cities like Beijing or Shanghai don’t feature in top 10.

Altrata research suggests the global UHNW population is expected to reach 746,570 by 2030, with Asia expected to account for the largest growth. This is driven by India, South Korea and Taiwan as well as Indonesia and Vietnam. 

The Middle East has the lowest projected growth of all global regions up to 2030, an outlook that is based predominately around security risks.

Cities projected to grow the fastest in terms of UHNW population in this time are quite scattered: Delhi (as a commercial hub), Stockholm (technology) and Wuhan (manufacturing).

Further proof of how international the world’s wealthy have become: 17% of the ultra wealthy have an ownership stake in a business entity headquartered outside their primary country of residence. 

And 19.6% of the global ultra wealthy are foreign born, emphasizing the role of wealth hubs and major countries in attracting migration and driving innovation. 

It could be said youth is wasted on the youth, but then is wealth wasted on the elderly? The average age of North America’s ultra wealthy class is 68. And just 8% of the UHNW population are under 50 years old, with more than half aged 50-70. 

The world’s UHNWIs are still heavily male dominated, with women comprising just 12%, but this number is rising across all regions.

When it comes to source of wealth, self-made absolutely dominates. North America as a region has largest share of self-made wealthy individuals at 80.4% - but when it comes to an individual country, China leads at 92%. And the US has lowest inherited wealth level at 14% compared to 27% and 28.1% for Europe and Asia respectively.

Sport tops the list of interests amongst the world’s wealthiest across regions. More than just leisure, it’s become an extremely attractive investment class for the world’s wealthy, as we’ve recently covered, as all sports continue to professionalize and expand their reach through broader media rights, alongside the +$120 billion and growing sports betting market.

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The world’s ultra-wealthy remain a tiny and highly concentrated group, but their numbers, fortunes and international reach are expanding rapidly. The names and locations may change, but one trend appears clear: the global wealth club is getting much bigger.