According to Oxfam's calculations, the total wealth of billionaires has increased by 81% since March 2020, reaching 18.3 trillion dollars (or 15.8 trillion euros). Elon Musk, recognized as the richest person on the planet, earns an amount equivalent to the average annual income on Earth in just 4 seconds.
At the same time, as noted in the report, nearly 50% of the world's population lives in poverty, possessing only 0.52% of the total global wealth, while the top 1% controls 43.8% of that wealth.
Charlotte Becker, chair of Oxfam Germany, expressed concern about how the economic power of the wealthy translates into political influence, threatening democratic processes. "We are in an era of billionaires, and this is bad news for the whole world," she stated.
Becker cited U.S. President Donald Trump as an example, whose policies favoring the wealthy contribute to rising inequality.
Germany, according to Oxfam's annual report, ranks fourth in the world in the number of billionaires, with their numbers increasing by one-third in 2025, reaching 172 individuals. Meanwhile, the average German billionaire earns an amount equivalent to the average annual income in just one and a half hours, in a country where one in five families lives in poverty.
Oxfam once again called for an increase in the tax burden on the ultra-wealthy both in Germany and globally. In particular, the organization proposed the introduction of a billionaire tax that could promote a fairer distribution of resources, combat climate change, and protect democratic institutions.
