Boom helps fuel surge in global billionaire wealth, report says

A report by Altrata says the world saw a record 3,795 billionaires in 2025, with collective wealth climbing 12.8% to a record $15.1 trillion, fueled in part by the AI boom. The report also identifies 29 “superbillionaires” with net worth of at least $50 billion. Among all billionaires, 1,265 are Americans. It notes the steady rise in billionaire numbers since 2016, when there were 2,397 globally, and credits the emergence of artificial intelligence with helping drive wealth among the world’s top tier. Sports and philanthropy are described as the most popular hobbies, and the report says more than 5% of billionaires hold stakes in sports franchises. It adds that 62% are fully self-made, while 7.8% inherited all their wealth. New York City leads by number of billionaires with 164, ahead of Hong Kong and San Francisco, with Chicago and Los Angeles among the top 10.