Italy faces rising wealth inequality as top 5% hold half of national wealth

Research from the First Cisl Foundation Fiba Observatory reveals significant wealth concentration and growing inequality among Italian households. While total net wealth reached 11,333.1 billion euros by the end of 2025, the growth rate of 22% over the last decade is the lowest in the eurozone, trailing far behind Germany's 87.3% and France's 42%.

Wealth is increasingly polarized: the top 5% of families now hold 50.2% of the country's net wealth, up from 39.9% fifteen years ago. Conversely, the bottom 50% of households possess only 7.3%. This concentration is driven largely by capital gains and non-listed shares, which are held almost exclusively by the wealthiest deciles.

In other economic developments, the Italian cosmetics industry is projected to reach a turnover of 18.1 billion euros by 2026. Meanwhile, the government reports a record recovery of 101 billion euros from tax evasion over the 2023-2025 period through increased use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. Additionally, Sicily has implemented a regional tax amnesty allowing citizens and businesses to settle debts, including car taxes and regional concessions, without interest or penalties until October 31, 2026.