Overview
- Global billionaire fortunes have grown about 80% since 2020 in inflation-adjusted terms, and the 12 richest people now hold more wealth than the poorest half of humanity.
- Oxfam bases its estimates on Forbes billionaire data combined with World Bank figures and the UBS Global Wealth Report.
- Germany now counts 172 billionaires, up by one-third in 2025, with combined wealth rising roughly 30% to $840.2 billion, the fourth-highest total worldwide.
- As evidence of political influence, Oxfam cites a record $2.6 billion from around 100 wealthy families in the 2024 U.S. presidential race and widespread billionaire ownership in major media.
- The group urges higher taxes on great fortunes, including a proposed German billionaire tax and tighter inheritance taxation, though conservative parties continue to resist such measures.