United Kingdom citizens have seen the most significant decrease in average wealth per adult among developed countries from 2020 to 2025. During this period, the average wealth per adult in Britain dropped by 23.2 percent, according to the Global Wealth Report by UBS. This decline amounts to approximately £28,500 per individual, with median wealth per adult now standing around £96,600, including property.
The report identified Britain as one of two wealthier nations, alongside the Netherlands, to experience a severe drop in average wealth per adult. The Netherlands saw a 14.36 percent decrease. Factors contributing to the fall in the UK include elevated inflation and energy prices, with Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS Global Wealth, citing a "brief period of notably higher inflation than Europe" as a distorting factor. He noted that in 2022, inflation in Britain reached 11.2 percent, partly due to increased demand for oil and gas post-pandemic and subsequent surges in energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Global Wealth Distribution Trends
In contrast to the UK's downturn, several nations experienced substantial wealth growth. South Korea saw its real average wealth per adult increase by over 55 percent since 2020. Russia and Croatia also reported sharp rises of 37 percent and 29 percent, respectively. Other countries with notable wealth increases include Norway (27 percent), Singapore (around 20 percent), and nine nations like the UAE, Taiwan, and Turkey, which saw wealth per adult rise by over 20 percent. Among G7 economies, Japan recorded the largest increase in median wealth at 55 percent.
While some developed economies experienced moderate declines, such as Brazil (-3.13 percent) and France (-4.52 percent), the fall in Britain was more pronounced. Mexico was the only country to see wealth fall by more than Britain on the mean average measure, though not on the median measure. Globally, total personal wealth increased by 10.8 percent in 2025, up from 4.6 percent in 2024 and 4.2 percent in 2023, driven by strong financial markets.
Millionaires and Billionaires
The UBS report also highlighted an increase in the number of millionaires and billionaires globally. An estimated 2,680 new millionaires emerged daily in 2025, marking a 1.5 percent increase for the year. The highest growth rates for USD millionaires were observed in Eastern Europe, with Lithuania leading at 8 percent. In the United States, over 440,000 new millionaires were created in 2025, contributing to the approximately 40 percent of the world's millionaires residing in the U.S. Russia saw a 5.2 percent increase in millionaires, while Britain experienced a 1.8 percent rise, adding about 43,139 individuals.
The number of billionaires worldwide also grew by 13.1 percent, reaching 3,302 individuals. The U.S. is home to over a thousand billionaires, followed by mainland China and India. The collective wealth of billionaires in South Korea and Hungary more than doubled. The report noted that 19 billionaires globally possess assets exceeding $100 billion, with 15 of them based in the U.S. In recent developments, Elon Musk became the first person to achieve trillionaire status after his company SpaceX was listed in the U.S., though his net worth has fluctuated.