Number of Billionaires in the Region Rises to 91
New Billionaires in the ME: A Wealth Boom Redraws the Regional Financial Landscape
The Middle East and Africa's billionaire club witnessed a remarkable expansion in 2025, with the addition of 19 new billionaires, a clear indicator of profound economic and investment transformations taking place in the region, according to the latest report issued by the Swiss bank UBS.
According to the report, the number of billionaires in the region rose from 72 in 2024 to 91 in 2025, achieving a growth rate of 26% in a single year, one of the highest growth rates.
Saudi Arabia Leads the Biggest Leap
The most significant leap came from Saudi Arabia, which recorded unprecedented growth in the number of billionaires, reaching 113%, with 13 new names joining the list of the wealthy.
Thus, the number of billionaires in Saudi Arabia rose from 6 to 19 in just one year, while their total wealth more than doubled from $38 billion in 2024 to $81 billion in 2025. This reflects the accelerated wealth creation in parallel with the major economic transformations driven by Saudi Vision 2030 and the flourishing of sectors such as energy, technology, investment, and real estate.
In the UAE, the growth in the number of billionaires was more modest, rising from 18 to 19. However, their total wealth recorded strong growth of 21%, reaching approximately $168.7 billion, confirming its continued status as one of the region's largest centers of wealth and its appeal to global capital.
Egypt and Lebanon: Numbers Remain Stable, Wealth Grows
In Egypt, the number of billionaires remained stable at four, but their combined wealth increased by 14% to reach $17 billion, driven by relative improvement in some investment sectors. In Lebanon, the country maintained its two billionaires, with their combined wealth growing from $5.6 billion to $6.2 billion, despite the deep economic and financial challenges facing the nation.
Economic Transformations Create New Wealth
The UBS report suggests that this expansion of the billionaire club reflects structural shifts in Middle Eastern and African economies, fueled by economic reforms, the liberalization of investment sectors, and expansion in technology, energy, and finance.
However, the report also raises a crucial question: Will the Middle East's billionaire club still be able to attract new members at the same pace? Or will the coming period witness a slowdown due to tightening global monetary policies and market volatility?
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