The Rise of Asia-Pacific Billionaires Reshapes Global Wealth Landscape
The Asia-Pacific region stood out, with the number of billionaires rising from 981 to 1,036, and their total wealth growing by 11.1% to USD 4.2 trillion. Notably, an impressive 79% of these Asia-Pacific billionaires are self-made, a proportion that leads all other global regions.
Growth in Mainland China's Billionaire Count and Wealth
From a regional perspective, Mainland China continues to dominate within the Asia-Pacific region. During the period, it added 70 new billionaires, bringing the total to 470, second only to the United States. Their total wealth increased by USD 321.4 billion to USD 1.8 trillion.
Hong Kong added 2 new billionaires, raising its total to 76, with total wealth reaching USD 328 billion.
Technology Emerges as Key Wealth Engine
Focusing on sector trends, the technology industry has become a crucial engine for wealth generation. The wealth of global tech billionaires grew by 23.8% annually to USD 3 trillion, tying with the consumer & retail sector for the top spot. Particularly in Greater China, the resurgence of tech billionaires is pronounced, marked by a significant upward wealth trend. This is driven by factors such as the release of large language models by local AI enterprises like DeepSeek and renewed market interest in “Made in China” tech development.
Shift in Billionaire Investment Preferences Towards Asia-Pacific
Billionaires’ investment preferences are also showing a geographical shift. Although North America remains their preferred investment destination globally, its dominance has decreased from 80% in 2024 to 63%. Concurrently, confidence in Greater China and the wider Asia-Pacific region has rebounded noticeably. 34% of surveyed billionaires believe Greater China offers the greatest investment opportunities—a proportion three times higher than last year—while another 33% favor other parts of the Asia-Pacific outside Greater China. The entire Asia-Pacific region has thus become a key destination for global capital allocation.
Hong Kong as a Global Wealth Management Hub
Leveraging its unique role as a “super connector” between China and the world, along with its world-class financial infrastructure, Hong Kong is attracting global billionaires, transnational capital, and family offices at a leading global pace. By the first half of 2025, the number of individuals with assets exceeding USD 30 million surged to 17,215, a year-on-year increase of 22.9%, representing the highest growth rate among major global wealth markets. By the end of 2024, the total assets under management in Hong Kong reached HKD 35.142 trillion (approx. USD 4.5 trillion), a 13% increase year-on-year.
Asia-Pacific as a Hub for Wealth Transfer
Looking ahead, the Asia-Pacific region is poised for a substantial intergenerational wealth transfer. By 2040, heirs globally are set to inherit at least USD 5.9 trillion, of which heirs in Mainland China and Hong Kong will inherit at least USD 315.7 billion. This wave of wealth transfer involves not only the movement of assets but also the evolution of investment philosophies and family governance models. As its appeal continues to strengthen, Hong Kong is increasingly becoming a critical hub for global high-net-worth individuals seeking asset allocation, wealth management, and intergenerational succession planning.
