UBS released its 16th edition of the Global Wealth Report 2025, offering a comprehensive overview of global wealth from levels to distribution to mobility.
UBS released its 16th edition of the Global Wealth Report 2025, offering a comprehensive overview of global wealth from levels to distribution to mobility. It says, “A great wealth transfer of USD 83 trillion will take place over the next 20 – 25 years, with women benefitting from both intra- as well as inter-generational shifts as some USD 9 trillion of this total transfers between spouses.” Of course, there’s a lot that goes into wealth management –investment vehicles are just part of the overall wealth-building effort– and we’ve selected the following eight key points that we think are worth recognizing.
8 Key Points from the UBS Global Wealth Report for 2025
- Global Wealth Levels: Overall wealth grew at a 4.6% clip in USD terms in 2024, a 0.4% improvement over 2023, but the growth was uneven with 11.4% growth in the Americas, 2.9% in APAC and 0.4% in EMEA. The Americas hold 39% of all global wealth.
- Median vs. Average Wealth: Both measures are important and convey different information. Average wealth is a measure of the total wealth divided by the number of people, often impacted by a few people with dramatic changes in their wealth or by a change in the population size. Median wealth figures show the wealth change for the middle of the population. UBS points out, “none of these figures is, on its own, capable of telling us the whole story of what’s happening with wealth.”
- Wealth Does Not Equal Income: UBS notes that income and wealth are often considered to be same thing when they are not. High incomes are one way to grow wealth, but other factors like real estate accessibility, interest rates, tax rates and the local economy can have significant impacts on wealth that would not show up in income data.
- Growth Rates of Wealth: As the chart below shows, wealthier adults tend to experience higher average returns.
- The Wealth Pyramid: The global share of adults with less than $10,000 of wealth fell was 40.7%, up from 39.5% in 2023, with the $10,000 to $100,000 band declining from 42.7% to 41.3%. The wealth pyramid shows that 1.57 billion adults have $10,000 to $100,000 and more than 60 million people have in excess of $1 million.
- The Great Wealth Transfer: UBS writes,”We forecast a total global wealth transfer of over USD 83 trillion within the next 20 – 25 years. Some USD 9 trillion of this will be horizontal and over USD 74 trillion will be vertical, between generations, i.e. roughly 12%.”
- Women & Inheritance: In a study of 2,000 women investors, UBS found that “80% of women who inherited from parents faced challenges, such as not knowing the extent of their parents’ wealth or encountering financial surprises…Regardless of the amount, the vast majority (74%) of these women are not prepared to handle assets without difficulties. Further, nearly one-third of women in our survey who had inherited assets from their parents had no prior conversations with them about the wealth transfer, and four in ten inherited from parents without any wealth transfer or estate plans in place.”We reminder readers that a wealth advisor can play critical role in helping anyone navigate the often overwhelming experience of inheriting wealth, especially when there’s been little prior communication or planning (ideally we’d like to partner earlier, as to avoid such challenges entirely!). We help facilitate essential family conversations, ensure estate plans are in place and educate our clients to improve financial literacy and confidence before an inheritance occurs. We can also help manage unexpected financial complexities, such as identifying assets, working with tax professionals and integrating new wealth into a broader financial strategy, while providing emotional support and encouraging thoughtful decision-making during a difficult time.
- Global Wealth Report Outlook: Between 2024 and 2029, UBS expects wealth per adult to continue to grow, propelled by the United States and Greater China, with more than five million new millionaires minted by the end of the decade.
Our Take on the UBS Global Wealth Report
The UBS Global Wealth Report for 2025 was an informative look at global wealth trends. While The Prudent Speculator will always remain focused on our broadly diversified portfolios of Value stocks, we have invested significantly in the area of comprehensive wealth management. We believe that a competent, forward-thinking wealth advisor is not just a portfolio manager, they’re a translator, educator and steward during life’s most challenging moments. With significant wealth on the move, we believe folks need holistic partnership.
Let’s Have A Conversation
We believe true wealth management goes beyond numbers– it’s built on trust, transparency and a deep understanding of your goals. As fiduciaries, we’re committed to putting your best interests first, always.
Whether you’re navigating life transitions, planning for future generations or seeking a partner to help you make confident financial decisions, we’re here to help.
To learn more about our personalized wealth and asset management services, please see our Wealth Management page or reach out to Jason Clark, CFA at jclark@kovitz.com.
