The Great Divide
Global Income & Wealth Disparity Report 2026
We are living in an era of extreme concentration. While global poverty has declined in absolute terms over the last century, the gap between the ultra-wealthy and the rest of the world has reached historic highs. This visual report analyzes the current status, historical drivers, and future trajectories of economic inequality.
The Current Snapshot
As of 2025, wealth is not distributed evenly. The top 1% of adults hold a disproportionate share of global net personal wealth, while the bottom 50% own almost nothing in comparison.
of Global Wealth
Held by the Top 1%
of Global Wealth
Held by the Bottom 50%
Income Multiplier
CEO Pay vs. Avg Worker
Global Wealth Distribution Breakdown
The "Middle 40%"—often considered the global middle class—is shrinking in terms of wealth share, squeezed between the ultra-wealthy and the working poor. The chart illustrates this stark stratification.
- Top 1%: The Ultra High Net Worth individuals.
- Next 9%: The wealthy professional class.
- Middle 40%: The global middle class (shrinking).
- Bottom 50%: Half the world's population owns < 2%.
Historical Trends (1980 - 2025)
Since the deregulation era of the 1980s, income growth has diverged significantly. The income of the top 0.1% has skyrocketed, driven by capital gains and executive compensation, while labor wages have stagnated relative to inflation.
Regional Inequality (Gini Index)
The Gini coefficient measures inequality (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality). Emerging economies often show higher disparity, but advanced economies like the USA are outliers among high-income nations.
Gini Coefficient by Region
Key Insights
Latin America & MENA: Historically represent the most unequal regions due to land ownership structures and oil-wealth concentration.
Europe: Maintains the lowest inequality levels, attributed to robust social safety nets and progressive taxation models, though pressure is mounting.
United States: Stands as a unique case—a wealthy democracy with inequality levels comparable to developing nations, driven by tech concentration and financial sector deregulation.
Cycle of Inequality
Accumulation
Influence
Changes
Distribution Analysis: The Lorenz Curve
The Lorenz Curve plots the cumulative percentage of total national income against the cumulative percentage of the corresponding population. The further the curve sags below the diagonal "Line of Equality," the higher the inequality.
Rendered with Plotly.js (Canvas/WebGL). The shaded area represents the "inequality gap."
The Future: 2026 - 2050 Forecast
Where are we heading? Current trends suggest a "Business as Usual" hyper-concentration. However, a "Policy Intervention" scenario (Global Tax, UBI) could flatten the curve.
Projected Wealth Share of Top 1%
Scenario A: Status Quo
Continued automation without redistribution, inheritance consolidation, and tax havens lead to the Top 1% owning >60% of wealth by 2050.
Scenario B: Reform
Implementation of global corporate minimum tax (15%+), wealth taxes, and strengthened labor unions stabilizes the ratio.