The year 2025, designated by the United Nations as the year of quantum science and technology, marks a turning point in the evolution of global dynamics. The world is navigating an environment of economic, political and technological uncertainties.
Following last November’s elections, the United States took a sharp turn toward protectionism. The focus on commercial foreign policy, coupled with geopolitical instability and rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), portends a year of significant change.
Developments in the United States will have a significant effect on wealth managers and clients in Europe, creating opportunities and challenges for management professionals and investors. Here are the key trends that will define the year ahead.
Un leadership mondial en mutation
The upcoming change in US policy risks fragmenting trade, weakening transatlantic relations and reducing geopolitical vigilance. For international actors, the need to adapt strategies to this new paradigm is urgent.
The broader political upheavals of 2024 reflect worrying levels of voter dissatisfaction around the world. Globally, citizens voted for change, and governments must now deliver on their promises. Added to this are major elections in Germany and political uncertainty in France. Europe can ill afford such weakness in its two largest economies.
In 2025, the global political landscape will remain a delicate balancing act, requiring close monitoring of changing regional dynamics, particularly as the geopolitical hotspots of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and East Asia the East will continue to be in turmoil.
A more commercial approach by the United States could encourage opposing powers to take bolder steps. The fallout on trade, security and investment could challenge global resilience and force stakeholders to prepare for an increasingly unstable global order.
Implications for AI and green innovation
In 2025, competition between the United States and China in AI will intensify. Trump’s liberalization agenda could play a critical role in the United States’ ability to maintain its technological edge. However, a balance must be found between innovation and societal concerns, such as the ethical use of AI and its risk of disrupting labor markets. The dominant position of the United States would not only stimulate economic growth, but also strengthen military capabilities in a more competitive global environment.
While inflation has fallen in most developed countries, fiscal problems remain, particularly in the United States. Trump’s ambitious tax cut proposals, coupled with his promises to cut federal spending, will test the limits of economic policy and could impact the Fed’s rate cut policy in 2025.
Furthermore, the new administration’s vast deregulation movement, ranging from drug approval to public procurement, will aim to rationalize the public sector and accelerate the adoption of technologies. The ability of these reforms to stimulate sustainable growth or exacerbate fiscal imbalances will depend on their implementation and overall economic conditions.
China’s leadership in “clean” technologies continues to influence the global energy landscape. Rapid advancements in solar energy, battery storage and electric vehicles are not only helping to address climate challenges, but are also becoming a central element of geopolitical influence.
The new American approach could be less focused on sustainability and more on liberalization to accelerate innovation. If reforms are implemented effectively, those in areas such as energy, biotechnology and AI could strengthen U.S. competitiveness.
To conclude, 2025 promises to be a year of considerable change. One of the main lessons of recent years is the unpredictability that is now a constant globally. Agility will be essential.
In this era of uncertainty, resilience and anticipation will be the keys to transforming risks into opportunities and thriving in an ever-changing global environment. Those who embrace these principles will not only weather the storms ahead, they will emerge stronger and better positioned for long-term success.
