Oxfam Warns of Growing Billionaire Influence as Global Wealth Hits $18.3 Trillion

Oxfam Warns of Growing Billionaire Influence as Global Wealth Hits $18.3 Trillion
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Global inequality deepened in 2025 as the number of billionaires surpassed 3,000 for the first time, with their combined wealth reaching a record $18.3 trillion, according to Oxfam’s latest annual report.

According to The Guardian, the charity said billionaire wealth has risen by 81% since 2020, an increase of $8.2 trillion, while progress in tackling poverty and hunger has stalled.

Oxfam warned that governments worldwide are increasingly yielding to the political influence of the ultra-rich, often while suppressing protests over austerity, unemployment, and rising living costs. The report noted a wave of youth-led demonstrations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, many of which were met with crackdowns rather than reforms.

Co-author Max Lawson said wealth is translating more openly into political power, through media ownership, campaign donations, and billionaires holding office themselves. Oxfam’s research suggests billionaires are thousands of times more likely than ordinary citizens to enter politics, raising concerns about democratic accountability.

Despite this, activists cited in the report expressed hope that growing public resistance, particularly among younger generations, could force political systems to better serve the wider population.