Households worldwide saw their net worth increase by $40 trillion in 2025, pushing the total global wealth to an eye-popping $570 trillion, according to McKinsey's latest report. This 7.3% jump is notably higher than the 5.9% average annual growth recorded since 2000.
The overall global balance sheet climbed to nearly $1.8 quadrillion, up from $1.7 quadrillion the year before. However, only about one-fifth of this wealth gain resulted from actual investments in productive assets like factories or infrastructure. The vast majority, roughly 58% to 60%, came from rising asset prices that outpaced inflation.
North American stock markets, especially in the US and Canada, were the primary drivers behind this surge. Meanwhile, key economies such as China, France, and Germany experienced declines in real estate prices, reflecting uneven wealth growth across regions.
McKinsey’s report also highlights a curious omission: the cryptocurrency sector. Terms like crypto, Bitcoin, and digital assets don’t appear anywhere in the analysis. While the methodology might indirectly account for crypto exposure through equities of publicly traded companies, crypto assets as a separate category remain unacknowledged at this level.
This absence contrasts with growing interest in digital assets, as seen in recent developments with firms and market movements. For instance, Coinbase’s CEO recently emphasized crypto’s rising relevance alongside AI advancements, underscoring the gap between traditional wealth reports and the evolving asset landscape.
