Their wealth has also increased, with an estimated total wealth of $86.8 trillion, an increase of 4.7% compared to the previous year.
Double record
In terms of number of people concerned and wealth, these are two records since Capgemini began publishing this annual study in 1997.
The progression of this wealth was mainly made possible by the rise in stock markets around the world: the American Nasdaq index soared by 43% and the S&P 500 by 24% in 2023, while in Paris the CAC 40 index gained 16% and the DAX in Frankfurt 20%. “Stocks jumped in conjunction with the tech market, fueled by enthusiasm for generative AI and its potential impact on the economy,” notes the firm in the study which evaluated 71 countries.
In 2022, the richest people saw the value of their wealth experience the biggest decline in ten years, this time due to a decline in stock prices.
Rising inequalities
Last year, North America experienced the strongest growth in the number of individual millionaires with an increase of 7.1%, as well as in wealth (+7.2%), ahead of Asia-Pacific and Europe.
The levels of wealth and the parallel increase in inequalities have given rise in recent years to numerous debates on how to better make the highest assets contribute to tax.
