The world minted nearly 300 new billionaires in 2025, The Wall Street Journal writes.
There are now roughly 2,900 billionaires across the globe controlling $15.8 trillion in wealth, according to UBS.
Tech-fueled market gains, entrepreneurship and a major generational wealth transfer helped drive the second-biggest annual increase since 2015.
Inheritance is playing a growing role, with more than 90 newly wealthy heirs this year alone. But self-made fortunes—from biotech and infrastructure to ice cream chains and crypto—remain a key engine.
From tariffs to inflation, the world’s richest are bracing for volatility even as their ranks continue to rise.
