According to the Billionaires’ Ambitions Report 2025, Dubai has become one of the world’s leading destinations attracting billionaires and millionaires. Global wealth reached a record $15.8 trillion in 2025.
The report is published annually by UBS, a leading Swiss financial institution known internationally for managing the wealth of the world’s richest families and monitoring global billionaire trends. The report observes wealthy families relocating than ever before, mainly due to security, business opportunities, tax advantages, and to maintain a higher quality of life.
Dubai, Singapore, London, and New York have become the preferred destinations for these billionaires who have already moved from their home country at least once. According to the report, the United Arab Emirates, especially Dubai, has become a hub for global wealth, attracting high-net-worth individuals from Pakistan, India, Europe, and across Asia.
Dubai’s tax-free system, stable governance, strong economy, and high-end lifestyle make it one of the most attractive places for the world’s wealthiest families to settle. The report also noted an interesting trend: an exponential rise in inheritance. In 2025, wealthy families passed on a record $297.8 billion to their heirs. The largest wealth transfer ever recorded, and many of these young children are choosing the UAE as their base, attracted by its business-friendly rules and global connectivity.
The study predicts that the world’s richest families will transfer nearly $7 trillion to the next generation by 2040, a shift expected to further increase the movement of wealthy individuals towards Dubai.
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Experts say the UAE’s rise as a global magnet for wealth underlines its growing importance in the international economic landscape, especially for wealthy investors from Pakistan and other developing nations who are seeking stability and long-term security.
According to a report published last month, Dubai has become the world’s strongest performing luxury destination. While London, Paris, New York, and Singapore all saw a decline in their share of residents buying high-end goods in the first half of 2025, Dubai remained steady, reclaiming its status as the most resilient luxury market worldwide.
The data collected shows that 1 in 9 Dubai residents made a luxury purchase each quarter this year, a rate far above other global hubs. This stability reflects the Emirates’ unique consumer profile, with about 37% of household earnings more than $150,000 a year. Analysts believe this advantage gives Dubai greater protection from global slowdowns, when compared with the luxury spending by the residents in other global financial hubs.