Surging billionaire wealth a political threat, Oxfam warns as Davos opens

Fortunes of the ultra-rich jumped 16.2% to $18.3 trillion in 2025

Last updated: January 19, 2026 | 04:57

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Several billionaires, excluding Musk, Arnault, Bezos, Ellison, and Buffett, called on global leaders to implement fair taxation for the wealthiest.

The collective wealth of the planet's billionaires soared to a record level in 2025, charity Oxfam reported Monday, warning of "highly dangerous" political consequences as the global elite gathers for the World Economic Forum.

Also Read: Wealth inequality ‘out of control,’ with billionaires' fortunes rising by $2.5 billion a day: Oxfam

US President Donald Trump's policies in particular spurred the fortunes of the ultra-rich, which jumped 16.2 percent in the first year of his second term to $18.3 trillion, the NGO said in a report released each year ahead of the Davos forum.

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