Global billionaire wealth surged to an unprecedented $15.8 trillion in 2025, rising 13% in just 12 months, according to UBS’s Billionaire Ambitions Report 2025. The growth was driven by a combination of entrepreneurial innovation and an accelerating wave of intergenerational inheritance, signaling what UBS describes as “the rise of a new generation” of wealth holders.

The report found that 196 new self-made billionaires emerged this year, the second-highest number on record, collectively amassing $386.5 billion. Their ventures span industries ranging from marketing software and genetics to infrastructure and liquefied natural gas, underscoring the breadth of innovation powering global wealth creation.

At the same time, inherited fortunes reached historic levels. Ninety-one heirs received $297.8 billion in 2025, a 36% increase from the previous year. UBS projects that approximately $5.9 trillion will be transferred to billionaire children over the next 15 years, marking what it calls the most significant generational wealth transfer in history.

Regionally, the Americas led the surge, with billionaire wealth rising 15.5% to $7.5 trillion. Asia-Pacific followed, increasing 11.1% to $4.2 trillion, while EMEA wealth grew 10.4% to $4.1 trillion. The United States and China remained the largest hubs for billionaire creation, with Singapore, Germany, and Saudi Arabia also recording notable gains.

The report highlights shifting values among wealthy families. Eighty-two percent of surveyed billionaires said they want their children to “succeed independently” rather than rely solely on inherited wealth. UBS noted that many are prioritizing resilience, education, and adaptability over direct succession in family businesses.

As billionaires live longer and lead increasingly mobile lives—36% have relocated at least once—the global distribution of wealth is becoming more fluid. UBS estimates that by 2040, around $6.9 trillion in billionaire wealth will change hands, reshaping global financial and family dynamics.