A recent report has shed light on the stark disparities in global wealth distribution, with a tiny elite controlling a vast majority of economic power. The World Inequality Report 2026, compiled by over 200 researchers, reveals that the top 0.001% of the population, comprising fewer than 60,000 multi-millionaires, now hold three times more wealth than the bottom 50% of humanity combined.
The report highlights that global inequality remains at extreme levels, with the richest tenth of the population owning nearly three-quarters of all wealth, while the poorest half holds a mere 2%. This disparity is also reflected in income distribution, with the top 10% earning more than the remaining 90% put together, and the poorest half capturing less than a tenth of global income.
The research also notes that a significant gender pay gap persists across all regions, with women earning just over a quarter of global labor income, a share that has barely changed since 1990. The global divide is evident even before people enter the job market, with average public education spending per school-age student varying greatly between regions. For instance, Sub-Saharan Africa allocates around $230 per student per year, compared to $8,600 in Europe and $10,500 in North America and Oceania.
The authors of the report suggest that implementing a 3% global tax on the world’s wealthiest individuals, specifically centi-millionaires and billionaires, could help bridge the economic divide. Such a tax would generate approximately $750 billion annually, equivalent to the combined education budgets of low- and middle-income countries.
Furthermore, the study highlights that poorer countries are disadvantaged by a global financial system that favors rich states. Advanced economies can borrow at lower interest rates and earn higher returns on investments abroad, allowing them to operate as “financial rentiers.” As a result, around 1% of global GDP flows from poorer countries to richer ones each year through debt service, profit repatriation, and other financial flows, which is nearly three times the amount of global development aid.
The report’s findings underscore the need for a more equitable global economic system, where the wealth gap between the rich and the poor is addressed through targeted policies and initiatives. By implementing measures such as progressive taxation and increasing investment in education, it may be possible to reduce the stark disparities in wealth distribution and promote greater economic stability for all.
