Living in the COVID World ...and Beyond #77: Global Economic Inequality January 2026

Here are some facts and some questions to consider about global economic inequality.

Some facts:

The richest 15 billionaires in the U.S. saw their wealth rise by over 800 billion in 2025, an increase of 33%.

There are 935 billionaires in the U.S.   Their assets increased by 21% in 2025.   These 935 billionaires control $8.1 trillion in wealth, nearly double the wealth held by the bottom 50% of Americans comprising over 170 million people.

Since 2020, the richest five men in the world have doubled the size of their fortunes.

The amount of wealth owned by the poorest half of the world is less than the amount owned by just the 12 richest billionaires. 

6 billionaires own 9 of the top 10 social media companies.

1/6 of all federal campaign dollars spent in 2024 by U.S. political parties, candidates, and committees came from 100 billionaire families.

1 out of every 7 citizens in Asia were offered bribes in exchange for votes.

A person from the richest 0.1% of the population emits more carbon in a single day than someone in the bottom 50% emits all year.

Globally, men own US$105 trillion more wealth than women – the difference in wealth is equivalent to more than four times the size of the US economy.

The world’s richest 1% own 43% of all global financial assets.

The richest 1% globally emit as much carbon pollution as the poorest two-thirds of humanity.

In the USA, the wealth of a typical Black household is just 15.8% of that of a typical white household.  In Brazil, on average, white people have incomes more than 70% higher than those of Afro-descendants.

Only 21% of humanity lives in the countries of the Global North, but these countries are home to 69% of private wealth, and 74% of the world’s billionaire wealth.

Some questions:

Does this information surprise you?

What are your memories of noticing that some people had more, and other people had less?  Is there a story from you past that you can tell about that?

Where you can see and feel the impact of economic inequality – in your family, amongst your friends, in your town or city, or globally? 

What steps do you think you can take to help close the global inequality gap?