Dubai has strengthened its position as a global centre for wealth, ranking 8th among the world’s leading billionaire cities in 2025 with 43 billionaires, according to Altrata’s Billionaire Census 2026. The figure is up from 41 in 2024, placing Dubai level with Shenzhen and ahead of Mumbai, Paris and Washington DC.
New York remained the world’s leading billionaire city with 164 residents, followed by Hong Kong with 106 and San Francisco with 99. London ranked fourth with 79 billionaires, while Singapore, Los Angeles and Beijing followed. Dubai and Shenzhen each recorded 43 billionaires, while Chicago had 42.
The wider UAE also recorded strong growth in its billionaire population. The country had 59 billionaires at the end of 2025, an 11.3% increase over the year, with their combined wealth reaching $201 billion (AED738.2 billion).
Dubai accounted for almost 73% of the UAE’s billionaire population, based on Altrata’s methodology, which identifies a billionaire’s location according to their primary business address. The UAE’s growth was also higher than the global increase of 8.2%, highlighting the country’s growing role as a regional centre for private capital and wealth creation.
Across the Middle East, the billionaire population increased by 5% to 254 individuals, with combined wealth of around $700 billion. Altrata links part of the region’s wealth creation to economic diversification, sovereign investment and large-scale infrastructure programmes.
Dubai’s growing billionaire population comes alongside the rapid expansion of its financial and wealth management ecosystem.
The Dubai International Financial Centre ended 2025 with more than 500 wealth and asset management firms, representing annual growth of 22%. Family-related entities reached 1,289, while the number of foundations established by DIFC-based families rose to 1,115.
Expansion continued into 2026. By June, the centre had 592 wealth and asset management firms, while family business-related entities reached 1,408 and foundations increased to 1,409. The number of active registered companies also passed 10,000, reflecting the growing depth of Dubai’s financial services sector.
The growth in billionaire numbers is also supported by the wider movement of wealthy individuals to the UAE. Henley & Partners projected a net inflow of 9,800 millionaires to the UAE during 2025, the highest expected inflow globally, with around $63 billion in investable wealth.
According to the DIFC’s Global Wealth Outlook, most of these individuals were expected to settle in Dubai. The trend reflects the city’s growing appeal among internationally mobile investors and high-net-worth individuals.
Factors such as financial market access, business conditions, regulatory stability and tax structures continue to influence where wealthy individuals choose to live and establish their businesses.
Dubai’s rise comes as global billionaire wealth reaches new highs. Altrata counted 3,795 billionaires worldwide at the end of 2025, an increase of 8.2% over the previous year. Their combined wealth rose 12.8% to $15.1 trillion.
Company ownership remains the main source of billionaire wealth, accounting for around 73% of average billionaire portfolios. Banking and finance was the largest primary industry, followed by technology and real estate.
Looking forward
With its growing billionaire population and continued inflow of private wealth, Dubai is becoming an increasingly important hub for global capital. Its position among the world’s top billionaire cities reflects not only the number of wealthy residents, but also the wider development of an ecosystem designed to attract, manage and retain private wealth.
At One Investments, we see developments like this as a strong reminder of the value of forward planning. We prioritise understanding our investors objectives and identifying opportunities that match their vision, ensuring a careful balance between potential growth and security.
