Overview
- Oxfam says billionaire fortunes rose 16% in 2025 to $18.3 trillion, extending an 81% jump since 2020 and pushing the global billionaire count past 3,000.
- The $2.5 trillion added last year is roughly equal to the wealth of the poorest 4.1 billion people, as one in four lack regular access to food and poverty reduction stalls.
- Billionaires are about 4,000 times more likely than ordinary citizens to hold public office, with growing control of major media, social platforms and AI firms amplifying their influence.
- The report links the surge to U.S. tax cuts, deregulation and weaker global tax enforcement under President Donald Trump, as well as AI‑driven market gains that enriched major shareholders.
- Oxfam urges wealth taxes and stricter firewalls between money and politics, citing national cases such as Australia where 48 billionaires hold more wealth than the bottom 40% and a 5% levy in 2025 could have raised about $17.4 billion.