How Much Wealth Is In The World

Ever wondered how much wealth is just floating around the world? Like, if we could scoop it all up, how much would we have? Let's dive in, shall we?

First things first: What's wealth?

We're not talking about your grandma's secret chocolate stash (though, if you find that, keep it to yourself). We're talking about financial wealth, folks. That's money, money, money.

So, how much is there?

Alright, grab your calculators, 'cause here we go. According to the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report 2021, the total wealth in the world is a whopping $431 trillion. That's like, a lot of zeros. Like, a lot.

But wait, what's that in real terms? Well, if we could divide that equally among the world's population, each person would get about... drumroll please... $65,000. Not bad, huh? Suddenly, your student loan debt doesn't seem so bad, does it?

Now, who's got the moolah?

You might think it's all tucked away in some secret Swiss bank account (spoiler alert: it's not all there). But let's break it down.

North America is sitting pretty with 38% of the world's wealth. Europe's not far behind with 33%. Asia's got 25%, and the rest of the world is sharing the 4% crumbs.

But who's the wealthiest? Well, the top 1% own 45% of the world's wealth. That's right, folks. Half a million people own almost half of everything. Now, that's what you call a power lunch.

What's wealth made of?

Now, you might think it's all cash, cash, cash. But no, wealth is like a big, delicious, financial cake. And it's made of layers.

IN PICS | The Global Wealth Pyramid: How Much Money Does the World Have

First, there's tangible wealth: stuff you can touch. That's your houses, your cars, your fancy watches. That makes up about 60% of the world's wealth.

Then there's financial wealth: stuff you can't touch, but you know it's there. That's your stocks, your bonds, your savings. That's the other 40%.

And who's growing it?

Wealth isn't just sitting there, collecting dust. It's growing. And it's growing fast. Between 2000 and 2020, global wealth tripled. That's right, folks. It's like the world's biggest game of Monopoly.

But here's where it gets interesting. While wealth is growing, it's not growing evenly. The top 10% of wealth holders saw their wealth grow by 12% per year. The bottom 50%? A mere 1% per year. So, yeah, it's not exactly a fair game.

So, what's the takeaway?