Billionaire wealth hit $18.3 trillion in 2025, surpassing the combined wealth of the poorest 4.1 billion people.

Billionaire wealth hit a record $18.3 trillion in 2025, up 16%, driven by tax cuts, weaker regulations, and surging AI company valuations, Oxfam reports. The world’s 3,000 billionaires now hold more wealth than the poorest 4.1 billion people combined, with Elon Musk becoming the first to exceed $500 billion. Oxfam warns this extreme concentration fuels political imbalance, with billionaires 4,000 times more likely to hold office and growing influence over media and policy, threatening democracy. The charity calls for wealth taxes, campaign finance reform, and stronger lobbying limits to address rising inequality.