The average wealth per adult in Western Europe remains less than half that of the United States, even though many European countries dominate global rankings for individual wealth. That is one of the key findings of the Global Wealth Report 2026 published by UBS, which analyzes 56 countries representing over 92% of the world's wealth.
According to the report, the US owns 38.1% of global personal wealth, while Western Europe accounts for 21.9%. Eastern Europe lags far behind with only 3.3% of global wealth.
In the ranking of average wealth per adult, Switzerland leads with 777,506 euros, followed by the US with 594,651 euros. Luxembourg ranks third with 559,170 euros, being the richest country in the European Union according to this indicator. The top ten also includes Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands.
The report shows that Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom all rank among the 30 richest countries, while Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Portugal, Malta and Greece are also part of this list.
However, the picture changes significantly when median wealth, which is considered a better indicator of middle-class well-being, is taken into account. In this ranking, Luxembourg holds first place with 336,498 euros, while Belgium ranks second. Italy rises to 11th place in the world with 111,881 euros, leaving behind Germany, which falls to the bottom of the list of 30 countries with only 45,679 euros of median wealth per adult.
One of the most significant findings of the report concerns the United States. Although Americans rank second in the world in terms of average wealth, the country falls to the bottom of the rankings when it comes to median wealth, with just €58,927 per adult. According to the report's authors, this shows that a very large portion of wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small number of individuals.
In contrast, countries like Italy, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Malta present a more balanced distribution of wealth, reflecting a broader middle class.
The report notes that median wealth provides a more accurate picture of a population's well-being than the average, as it is less influenced by billionaires and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. However, the authors emphasize that these figures do not necessarily reflect purchasing power or the cost of living in each country.
At a regional level, the US continues to have the highest average wealth per adult at €594,651, while in Western Europe this figure is €287,884, less than half the US level. In Eastern Europe, average wealth per adult drops to just €53,055.
