The number of dollar billionaires worldwide increased by 8.2% in 2025, reaching a record 3,795, according to a report by analytics firm Altrata.
The report said this was the fastest growth rate in five years, which experts attribute to the boom in artificial intelligence.
The combined wealth of billionaires rose 12.8% to $15.1 trillion.
Meanwhile, the number of ultra-wealthy individuals with fortunes exceeding $50 billion increased to 29, with their combined wealth reaching $4.1 trillion, or 27% of the total wealth held by billionaires.
In 2017, there were just 10 such individuals, accounting for only 7.2% of total billionaire wealth.
According to Maya Imberg, head of research at Altrata, rising technology stocks have created record fortunes, although wealth tied to AI companies can be highly volatile.
Regional growth also reached record levels:
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
