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World Inequality Report 2026 Finds Top 0.001% Hold Triple the Wealth of the Poorest Half

The World Inequality Lab presents fresh measurements alongside proposals for progressive taxation.

Overview

  • The report estimates that the richest 10% own 75% of global wealth while the bottom 50% hold about 2%, and the top 10% receive 53% of income compared with 8% for the bottom half.
  • Fewer than 60,000 people in the top 0.001% control roughly three times the wealth of half of humanity, averaging nearly €1 billion each versus about €6,500 for someone in the bottom 50%.
  • Since the 1990s, the wealth of billionaires and centi‑millionaires has risen about 8% annually, lifting the top 0.001% share from roughly 4% to more than 6%.
  • Regional gaps are stark, with North America and Oceania far above the world average in wealth and income, while countries such as South Africa exhibit the most extreme national inequality.
  • Accounting for unpaid care and domestic work, women earn about 32% of men’s hourly pay, and the report urges measures including progressive taxes, transfers, and social investment.