Billionaire wealth hits record $18.3T while one in four people on Earth still lacks enough basic food resources.
A new Oxfam report finds that global billionaire wealth is rising faster than global poverty and hunger are being reduced, highlighting a widening gap between the ultra-rich and the world’s most vulnerable populations.
A report released by Oxfam International during the World Economic Forum in Davos shows a stark contrast between the growth of extreme wealth and the persistence of global hardship. The report, Resisting the Rule of the Rich: Protecting Freedom from Billionaire Power, states that billionaire wealth increased by 16% in 2025, reaching a record $18.3 trillion, based on Forbes’ real-time billionaire wealth data. It also notes that the number of billionaires worldwide has surpassed 3,000 for the first time.
In the same period, the report highlights that one in four people do not regularly have enough to eat, and nearly half of the global population lives in poverty, drawing on World Bank and food security data. This contrast is described as a clear indicator of growing inequality, with wealth accumulation outpacing improvements in living conditions for many.
Oxfam’s analysis also points to the political influence of the ultra-wealthy. The report estimates that billionaires are around 4,000 times more likely to hold public office than ordinary citizens, which the report uses to illustrate the potential imbalance of political representation linked to extreme wealth. It further notes that billionaire wealth is often associated with influence over media, policy, and economic systems, which can reinforce inequality.
The report frames these trends as evidence that economic power is increasingly concentrated at the top, while large portions of the global population continue to face basic needs shortages. Oxfam argues that this imbalance poses risks to democratic systems and social stability, as well as to progress on poverty reduction and global development.
To address these disparities, the report recommends a set of policy measures including higher taxes on extreme wealth and income, stricter tax transparency and enforcement, stronger regulation of political donations and lobbying, and measures to curb corporate power and improve worker rights. It also calls for expanded public services and social protections, and for international cooperation on tax rules and enforcement.
