An Oxfam study reveals that the wealth of multibillionaires grew by more than 16% in 2025—three times faster than the average of the past five years—reaching €15.7 trillion.
The world’s 12 richest people have more money than the poorest half of humanity—that is, four billion people—according to an Oxfam study released this Monday, the 19th.
According to the confederation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the wealth of multibillionaires increased by more than 16% in 2025 and at a pace three times faster than the average of the past five years, reaching €15.7 trillion.
This figure represents the highest level in history, the Oxfam report concludes, released today at the start of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“The combined wealth of multibillionaires increased by €2.1 trillion last year,” which “would already be enough to eradicate extreme poverty 26 times over,” Oxfam warns.
In addition, the number of multibillionaires surpassed 3,000 last year for the first time, with the richest—U.S. entrepreneur Elon Musk—becoming the first person to have a personal fortune exceeding half a trillion dollars (€430 billion).
According to the analysis, the wealth accumulated by the world’s multibillionaires over the past year is so large that it would allow giving every person on the planet $250 (€214), while the richest would still retain €430 billion.
“The wealth of multibillionaires has increased by 81% since 2020,” at a time when “one in four people worldwide does not have enough to eat regularly and nearly half of the global population lives in poverty,” the social justice organizations warn.
Entitled “Resisting the Rule of the Rich: Protecting Freedom from the Power of Billionaires,” the report examines how the super-rich are capturing political power to shape the rules of economies and societies in their own favor and to the detriment of people’s rights and freedoms, pointing the finger at the United States.
“The increase in multibillionaire wealth coincides with the Trump administration in the United States, which is pursuing a pro-billionaire agenda,” Oxfam notes, emphasizing that “the [Donald Trump] presidency sent a clear warning signal to the rest of the world about the power of the ultra-rich.”
According to the NGO confederation, the U.S. president drastically cut taxes for multibillionaires, undermined global efforts to tax large corporations, reversed attempts to curb monopolistic power, and contributed to the rise of AI (artificial intelligence)–related stocks, which provided enormous benefits to super-rich investors worldwide.
The phenomenon is not exclusive to the United States, however, Oxfam stresses, adding that the study shows oligarchies are undermining societies across the globe.
In response to this scenario, Oxfam’s NGOs are calling on governments to create national plans to reduce inequalities between rich and poor, notably through taxes on the super-rich to “reduce their power,” and through regulation to ensure greater independence of the media.
Oxfam’s appeal and report are being released on the same day the World Economic Forum begins, which will discuss “The Spirit of Dialogue” through Friday.
The forum, which runs until the 23rd, will this year include the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has not attended in person since 2020 and will be accompanied by the largest-ever U.S. delegation.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, will also have a strong presence at the meeting, with a delegation led by Vice Premier He Lifeng.
Among the confirmed participants are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; six of the seven heads of state or government of the G7 (the group of the world’s seven largest economies); the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen; and the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, as well as around 850 business leaders from around the world.
Dinheiro Vivo, 19/01/2026
