Global wealth gap widens as CEOs earn 490 years of a worker's pay

A new Oxfam and International Trade Union Confederation report finds that between 2019 and 2025 CEOs of the world’s 1,500 largest firms saw their compensation rise 54%, while real wages for workers fell 12%. The average CEO earned US$ 8.4 million in 2025, meaning a worker would need to work 490 years to match a single year’s CEO pay. Billionaires added US$ 4 trillion to their fortunes in the same period, with dividend earnings of US$ 79 billion in 2025 alone.

A separate McKinsey Global Institute study shows global household wealth grew by US$ 40 trillion in 2025, reaching US$ 570 trillion. The surge was driven mainly by financial assets, especially technology stocks, with the United States leading the rise. China’s wealth increase stemmed largely from rising corporate debt. Analysts warn the rapid asset‑price growth outpaces real‑economy performance, raising concerns about sustainability and inequality.