Cruising around on private jets, the ultra-rich form the world’s financial elite—but just how many people belong to this exclusive wealth club? Could they all fit onto a floating mega-yacht, or is the group larger, perhaps the size of a dazzling city built for the super-rich?
Thanks to an inequality report released on Wednesday, we now have a snapshot of the topmost layer floating above everyone else: the 0.001%.
The report estimates there are 56,000 individuals in this group. If they gathered for a party, they would fill the seats of a medium-sized football stadium, such as Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium or Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
These wealth holders are mostly centi-millionaires (meaning they own hundreds of millions of euros), with the average person in the group holding close to €1 billion.
But why does visualizing this matter? The report’s authors say the comparisons “help illustrate just how concentrated the very top is” and allow people to “grasp the magnitude of global inequality.”
To do that, it helps to compare their wealth with everyone else’s. Global inequality is widely recognized, and the report shows that the top 10% own 75% of all global wealth.
One of the starkest findings, however, is that the ultra-rich 0.001% control three times the wealth of the poorest half of humanity. Not only that, their wealth is growing faster—close to 5%, compared with 3.4%.
It’s difficult to compare these two segments of society, since the 0.001% represents just 56,000 people, while the bottom 50% includes 2.8 billion. It would take 50,000 stadiums to hold the latter group.
To illustrate the disparity, the image below shows the scale of the bottom half. Each dot represents one stadium of 56,000 people.
Collectively, these people own only a third of the wealth held by the super-rich who would fit into the single stadium above.
Read the full report on how just 56,000 people control three times as much wealth as the entire poorest half of humanity.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs The 0001 A Visual Guide to the Worlds Wealthiest People
Beginner Definition Questions
1 What exactly is The 0001 in this context
It refers to the roughly 80000 individuals globally who make up the top 0001 of the worlds adult population by net worth They are the absolute pinnacle of wealth far beyond the 1
2 How much money do you need to be in the 0001
The threshold constantly changes but as of recent estimates you typically need a net worth of over 100 million USD to enter this group The very top members have wealth in the tens of billions
3 Is this book just a list of rich people
No While it features prominent billionaires its a visual guide It uses charts infographics and data visualizations to explain how this wealth is created concentrated and distributed across industries and regions
4 Who is this book for
Its for anyone curious about extreme wealth inequality economics or global power structures Its designed to be accessible for beginners but filled with detailed data for those who want a deeper dive
Advanced Analytical Questions
5 What are the main sources of wealth for the 0001
The guide highlights that a significant portion derives from asset appreciation rather than traditional salaries Key sectors include technology finance inheritance and industry monopolies
6 How does the wealth of the 0001 compare to the 1 or average person
The book visually demonstrates the staggering gap The 0001 often hold wealth equivalent to millions of average families It shows how wealth distribution is not a smooth ladder but a steep cliff at the very top
7 Does the book discuss the impact of this wealth concentration
Yes It explores implications like political influence philanthropic endeavors and debates on taxation and economic mobility
8 Whats the most surprising visual or fact in the guide
Common takeaways include seeing wealth depicted to scale or the
