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World Inequality Lab Report Finds Top 10% Hold 75% of Wealth as Mexico’s Gap Narrows Slightly

Researchers say progressive taxation is essential to curb extreme concentration.

Overview

  • Globally, the richest 10% capture 53% of income and own about 75% of wealth, while the poorest half hold roughly 8% of income and 2% of wealth.
  • In Mexico, the top 10% hold about 71% of national wealth and the top 1% about 38%, with the top decile taking ~59% of income versus ~8% for the bottom half.
  • Mexico’s income gap between the top 10% and bottom 50% narrowed from a ratio of 111 to 76 between 2014 and 2024, a modest improvement linked to minimum wage hikes, social transfers and stronger collection.
  • The report links inequality to climate harm, noting the top 1% account for about 41% of global emissions and enjoy far greater capacity to adapt than poorer populations.
  • Authors highlight elite gains and evasive practices—such as tax havens—while estimating that a 2–5% levy on fewer than 100,000 ultra‑wealthy people could raise roughly 0.45–1.11% of world GDP.