Despite its cultural significance, Indian real estate underperforms equities as a wealth-building asset. High costs, illiquidity, and lower returns compared to stock indices like the BSE Sensex highlight its limitations.
Over 600 OpenAI employees sold $6.6 billion in shares in October 2025, driven by intense AI talent competition, particularly after Meta's $300 million compensation packages for AI researchers, leading to increased salaries and stock-based compensation at OpenAI.
Knight Frank report projects global billionaire numbers will rise 25% to 3,915 by 2031, driven by tech and AI profits. Saudi Arabia and Poland expected to see fastest growth, while North America holds 37% of global wealth. Multimillionaires worth at least $30 million grew to 713,626 globally.
Hong Kong's ultra-high-net-worth individual population fell 3.3% to 6,788 in 2026 versus 2021, but is forecast to surge 25% to 8,485 by 2031. The city is gaining traction as a family office hub, benefiting from streamlined regulation, talent visa schemes, lower taxes and faster setup times. Globally, UHNWIs rose to 713,626 from 551,435, equivalent to 89 people daily crossing the $30 million threshold.
Knight Frank analysis reveals 3,110 billionaires globally today, forecast to rise 25% to 3,915 by 2031. The ultra-wealthy population has been 'supercharged' by tech and AI profits, with the $30m+ millionaire class growing over 300% since 2021. Asia Pacific is expected to overtake North America as the billionaire capital by 2031, while Saudi Arabia and Poland will see the fastest growth.
