Dubai, United Arab Emirates – The “Billionaire Ambitions 2025” report issued by UBS Global Wealth Management shows that billionaire wealth worldwide has reached an all-time high this year. This is driven by innovative entrepreneurship and the largest intergenerational wealth transfer since the report was first compiled.
According to the report, the number of billionaires globally increased by 8.8%, from 2,682 to almost 3,000. This brought their combined wealth to around USD 15.8 trillion in 2025, marking the second-highest annual increase since the survey was launched. A total of 196 self-made billionaires alone added USD 386.5 billion to this wealth. This covered sectors ranging from technology and digital marketing to energy, liquefied natural gas, and infrastructure.
UAE and Saudi Arabia as regional powerhouses
The report highlights the accelerating pace of wealth creation and intergenerational transfer in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are emerging as two key markets in this transformation.
Over the past year, Saudi Arabia saw billionaire wealth double to USD 81 billion. Meanwhile, the UAE continued its upward trajectory to reach USD 169 billion in billionaire wealth. This underscores the growing role of entrepreneurship and new investments in driving wealth growth in both countries.
The report estimates that around USD 153 billion will be transferred to heirs in the region over the next fifteen years. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are at the forefront of this intergenerational wealth transfer. This is expected to further strengthen the region’s presence on the global wealth map. It will also increase the need for more sophisticated strategies to preserve and grow family legacies.
Record wealth transfer and a new generation of billionaires
In 2025 alone, 91 heirs around the world inherited fortunes totaling USD 297.8 billion. This is a 36% increase compared to 2024, despite a decline in the number of heirs versus the previous year. This brought the number of multi-generational billionaires to around 860, managing assets estimated at USD 4.7 trillion. This is up from 805 billionaires with USD 4.2 trillion in 2024.
The report notes that the number of second-generation billionaires rose by 4.6%, third-generation billionaires by 12.3%, and fourth-generation and beyond by 10%. This reflects a broadening of the wealth base across generations rather than it remaining concentrated in the founding generation alone.
Growing presence of women and shifting priorities of the next generation
Average billionaire wealth among women rose by 8.4% to USD 5.2 billion. This outpaced the 3.2% growth rate among men (with an average of USD 5.4 billion). Women thus outperformed men in the pace of wealth accumulation for the fourth consecutive year, even though their numbers remain lower (374 women versus 2,545 men).
The report also shows that most billionaires with children prefer the next generation to build success independently. There is an increasing focus on skills development, following personal passions, and using wealth to create a positive impact in society, rather than relying solely on inherited wealth or merely managing family businesses.
Billionaires believe the younger generation is more interested in technological advancement and artificial intelligence, lifestyle, and impact investing. They are concerned, alongside global issues, such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. Some 75% of them ranked technology and artificial intelligence as an urgent social priority. This is followed by climate issues (55%) and poverty and inequality (45%).
Investment trends and concerns for the coming period
On the investment front, North America remains the top destination for billionaire capital (63%), followed by Western Europe (40%) and Greater China (34%). With renewed confidence in China and the broader Asia-Pacific region, 42% of billionaires plan to increase their allocations to emerging market equities over the next 12 months. They are also boosting exposure to developed market equities, private investments, hedge funds, and infrastructure. In contrast, tariffs, geopolitical conflicts, and political uncertainty top the list of concerns for the coming year. The report expects that billionaires worldwide will transfer around USD 6.9 trillion in wealth by 2040. At least USD 5.9 trillion will go directly to children or spouses. This will cement the role of the next generation in shaping the future landscape of wealth, investment, and philanthropy around the world.
