The number of dollar billionaires is increasing and showing no signs of slowing down. Global billionaire population increased from 2,723’ in 2021’ to 3,110’ in 2026’; That's only in five years. %An increase of 14’.
Speed is expected to increase. Knight Frank’'s 2026 Asset ReportThe number of billionaires over the next five years, according to ’ %It will increase by 26 to reach 3,915’ in 2031.
Europe will be one of the main drivers of this growth. The number of European billionaires 2026’da 780’den 2031’de %It is expected to increase by 27 to 994’e.
Liam Bailey, head of global research at Knight Frank’, said “ is witnessing one of the most significant shifts in global wealth distribution in modern history.
Which countries will see the biggest increase in the number of billionaires? How does ’'s billionaire growth compare to America's?
The report tracks the top 20 countries with the fastest growth in forecasts. Eight of them are in the European ’ and dominated by the Scandinavian countries.
Saudi Arabia among 20 billionaires %It is at the top of the list with an increase of 183, and by 2031 the number of billionaires will increase from 23’ to 65’.
Nordic countries are driving the growth of Europe’
Poland is the leader of the European ’. More than double the number of billionaires %It is expected to increase from 13’ to 29’ with an increase of 123.
Sweden is second in the European ’ and third worldwide, growing 81% from 32’ to 58’. This is followed by Denmark, which rose 75 percent from 12’ to 21’.
Norway, the number of billionaires %With an increase of 53’ from 17’ to 26’, it strengthens Scandinavian rule. Three of the four fastest growing European countries are from Scandinavian countries.
Number of billionaires in Austria %An increase of 50’ will increase from 12’ to 18’. This is followed by Spain with 40 percent growth and will reach 53’ at 2031’. EuropeAnother major economy of ’, ItalyThe number of ’'s billionaires is projected to increase from 61’ to 82’.
Turkey, which is a candidate country for EU’, is expected to grow by 31 percent from 35’ to 46’.
These rankings are based on five-year growth rates. That's why there are no big economies like Britain, Germany and France. For example, Germany was at the top of Europe's ’ with 171 billionaires in 2025, according to Forbes’.
When the same 20 countries are ranked by the total number of billionaires in 2031, India leads with 313 billionaires, followed by Australia and Singapore with 85’er billionaires.
Among the European countries on the list, Italy ranks first with 82 billionaires. Sweden’ is expected to pass Spain’ with 53 points to reach 58 points.
Bailey pointed out that despite major geopolitical shocks and inflationary pressures, private capital showed extraordinary resilience. Its latest results reflect a deep structural momentum in wealth creation worldwide.
Number of billionaires: Europe and the Americas
World leader in Asia-Pacific billionaires. 1,116 billionaires in 2026 %It makes up 36’.
Do this for me %With 34 followed by the continent of America, in North America and %It is divided between 3 and Latin America. Europe makes up a quarter of the world's billionaires.
By 2031, the number of European ’ billionaires will rise from 780 ’ to 994 ’, approaching 1,000 ’. With a slight increase in global share %It will be 25.4’e.
North America will increase the number of billionaires from 995 ’ to 1,089 ’. But its share from ’ %It will fall to 27.8’e, which will make it the only region where its share falls.
Rory Penn, head of the Knight Frank Special Office at “, said that what we are seeing on the ground is an increase in wealth creation in a more complex global economic environment.
The “Ultra rich are becoming noticeably more mobile, but the list of markets where they feel really comfortable investing or basing their family has narrowed.”
Security and rule of law
The report highlights that the most advanced families now split their wealth across multiple offices (typically the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific). This diversity stems from the deep need for security and the rule of law.
Despite the high taxes and political inconsistency in “, in the words of an Australian mining billionaire, while other global investors increasingly see Europe’ as a museum, not a place to invest in ’, some prominent families are still flocking to London‘, as ’ is still the rule of law.
