The 26th edition of the Global Wealth Report published by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) sheds light on how financial wealth is distributed in Germany. The findings show that a small number of ultra-wealthy individuals hold a significant share of the country's financial assets, while their numbers continue to rise.
The number of people in Germany with personal financial assets exceeding 100 million dollars (roughly 86 million euros) rose by around 1,100 in 2025 compared to the previous year. Approximately 5,000 individuals now fall into this ultra-high-net-worth category. Together, they control 27.3 percent of Germany's total financial wealth of 12.4 trillion dollars, amounting to nearly 3.4 trillion dollars. BCG projects that their share will climb further to 29 percent by 2030.
Stock market gains were the primary driver behind this surge. Michael Kahlich, a BCG partner based in Zurich and co-author of the study, noted that wealth concentration at the top continues to accelerate because those with larger portfolios can diversify more broadly into higher-return asset classes such as equities and private equity.
Around 66 million people in Germany hold financial assets of less than 250,000 dollars. This vast majority collectively owns just over a third of the country's financial wealth, at 35.9 percent. In between, roughly 3.2 million individuals hold assets ranging from 250,000 to one million dollars, accounting for 11.3 percent. At the very top, over 700,000 multi-millionaires together with the approximately 5,000 super-rich hold more than half of all financial wealth in Germany, at 52.8 percent.
The overall net wealth of German households grew by approximately 15 percent in 2025, reaching 23.3 trillion dollars. Financial assets alone surged by nearly 18 percent, driven by strong performance on global stock markets. Real assets, predominantly real estate, grew to 13.4 trillion dollars and continued to make up more than half of total household wealth. Liabilities rose modestly to 2.5 trillion dollars.
Kahlich pointed out that Germans remain cautious investors. Deposits and cash continue to dominate the asset structure of private households, though exchange-traded funds, equities, and other capital-market-oriented investments are steadily gaining ground. A sluggish economy, an ageing population, and a relatively weak equity culture continue to dampen broader wealth accumulation in the country.
Worldwide, net wealth rose by over 9 percent in 2025 to reach 550 trillion dollars. Financial assets grew by almost 11 percent, marking the strongest annual increase since 2021. The United States leads the global ranking unchallenged, with 147 trillion dollars in financial assets.
China follows at 41.5 trillion, Japan at 15.6 trillion, and Germany ranks fourth at 12.4 trillion. Globally, there are approximately 97,000 individuals with financial wealth exceeding 100 million dollars. The majority of them, around 37,000, reside in the United States, followed by China with 11,000.
BCG publishes its Global Wealth Report annually, analysing the development of private wealth across 97 markets that together represent 98 percent of global economic output. The study draws on data from more than 100 banks and wealth managers. Financial wealth in the report includes cash, bank deposits, equities, bonds, life insurance policies, funds, and pensions. The analysis also accounts for real assets such as property and precious metals, as well as liabilities.
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