Between December 2019 and 2021, the top one percent of earners accumulated 63 percent of all new wealth worldwide. This is more than six times more wealth than accumulated by the bottom 90 percent over the same time period.

Global wealth distribution Newly generated wealth landing in the hands of the few is not a new story and has been the focus of international development policy for many years. Looking at a regional level, Latin America was the region with the starkest distribution of wealth. In this region, 77 percent of the wealth was held by the richest 10 percent in 2021, and only 0.5 percent held by the poorest 50 percent. At an individual level, around 2.82 billion adults worldwide had a net worth of less than 10,000 U.S. dollars in 2021.

Billionaires In 2021, the highest concentration of billionaires could be found in North America. However, China had the largest number of billionaires in its population in 2022, with most living in Beijing. Looking at wealth distribution amongst billionaires themselves, 20 people had fortunes of 50 billion U.S. dollars or more, but the majority of billionaires had a personal fortune between two and five billion U.S. dollars.

In December 2022, Elon Musk slipped from the top spot of richest people on Earth. The number one spot was taken by French magnate, Bernard Arnault of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

Graph and download economic data for Share of Net Worth Held by the Top 1% (99th to 100th Wealth Percentiles) (WFRBST01134) from Q3 1989 to Q2 2025 about net worth, wealth, percentile, Net, and USA.

In 2023, roughly 1.49 billion adults worldwide had a net worth of less than 10,000 U.S. dollars. By comparison, 58 million adults had a net worth of more than one million U.S. dollars in the same year. Wealth distribution The distribution of wealth is an indicator of economic inequality. The United Nations says that wealth includes the sum of natural, human, and physical assets. Wealth is not synonymous with income, however, because having a large income can be depleted if one has significant expenses. In 2023, nearly 1,700 billionaires had a total wealth between one to two billion U.S. dollars. Wealth worldwide China had the highest number of billionaires in 2023, with the United States following behind. That same year, New York had the most billionaires worldwide.

In the first quarter of 2025, almost ********** of the total wealth in the United States was owned by the top 10 percent of earners. In comparison, the lowest ** percent of earners only owned *** percent of the total wealth. Income inequality in the U.S. Despite the idea that the United States is a country where hard work and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps will inevitably lead to success, this is often not the case. In 2024, *** percent of U.S. households had an annual income under 15,000 U.S. dollars. With such a small percentage of people in the United States owning such a vast majority of the country’s wealth, the gap between the rich and poor in America remains stark. The top one percent The United States was the country with the most billionaires in the world in 2025. Elon Musk, with a net worth of *** billion U.S. dollars, was among the richest people in the United States in 2025. Over the past 50 years, the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio has exploded, causing the gap between rich and poor to grow, with some economists theorizing that this gap is the largest it has been since right before the Great Depression.

Graph and download economic data for Minimum Wealth Cutoff for the Top 0.1% (99.9th to 100th Wealth Percentiles) (WFRBLTP1311) from Q3 1989 to Q3 2022 about wealth, percentile, and USA.

The massive wealth inequality in the world is underpinned by this chart: while *** percent of the world's population had fortunes of more than one million U.S. dollars in 2025, over ** percent of the global population had a total wealth of less than 10,000 U.S. dollars.

Global Income Inequality Dataset (2000–2023)

Overview

This dataset provides a comprehensive look at global income inequality from the year 2000 to 2023. It includes key indicators such as Gini index, average income, income distribution across different population percentiles, and income group classifications for 30 countries worldwide. The dataset offers insights into how income is distributed within nations and highlights disparities across different economic groups.

Data Features

• Country: The name of the country.
• Year: The year of the data point (2000–2023).
• Population: The estimated population for the given year.
• Gini Index: A measure of income inequality, where 0 represents perfect equality and 1 represents maximum inequality.
• Average Income (USD): The average income in USD for the country in the given year.
• Top 10% Income Share (%): The percentage of total income held by the top 10% of the population.
• Bottom 10% Income Share (%): The percentage of total income held by the bottom 10% of the population.
• Income Group: Categorization of the country’s income group (Low Income, Lower Middle Income, Upper Middle Income, High Income).

Potential Uses

• Economic Analysis: Understand global income inequality trends and how they vary by country and region.
• Predictive Modeling: Use the dataset to build machine learning models predicting future income inequality based on historical data.
• Policy Research: Study the impact of income distribution on policy decisions and economic growth in different nations.
• Visualization: Create heatmaps, time series charts, and more to visualize the income inequality across various countries and years.

Source

The data has been generated to simulate realistic income inequality patterns based on publicly available data on global economic trends.

Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data was reported at 24.700 % in 2008. Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data is updated yearly, averaging 24.700 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2008, with 1 observations. Japan JP: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

By 2030, the middle-class population in Asia-Pacific is expected to increase from **** billion people in 2015 to **** billion people. In comparison, the middle-class population of sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase from *** million in 2015 to *** million in 2030. Worldwide wealth While the middle-class has been on the rise, there is still a huge disparity in global wealth and income. The United States had the highest number of individuals belonging to the top one percent of wealth holders, and the value of global wealth is only expected to increase over the coming years. Around ** percent of the world’s population had assets valued at less than 10,000 U.S. dollars, while less than *** percent had assets of more than one million U.S. dollars. Asia had the highest percentage of investable assets in the world in 2018, whereas Oceania had the highest percentage of non-investable assets. The middle-class The middle class is the group of people whose income falls in the middle of the scale. China accounted for over half of the global population for middle-class wealth in 2017. In the United States, the debate about the middle class “disappearing” has been a popular topic due to the increase in wealth among the top billionaires in the nation. Due to this, there have been arguments to increase taxes on the rich to help support the middle class.

Pakistan PK: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data was reported at 28.900 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 26.000 % for 2013. Pakistan PK: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data is updated yearly, averaging 27.100 % from Dec 1987 (Median) to 2015, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28.900 % in 2015 and a record low of 25.200 % in 1996. Pakistan PK: Income Share Held by Highest 10% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

United Arab Emirates AE: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data was reported at 38.200 % in 2014. United Arab Emirates AE: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 38.200 % from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2014, with 1 observations. United Arab Emirates AE: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Arab Emirates – Table AE.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Goal 10Reduce inequality within and among countriesTarget 10.1: By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national averageIndicator 10.1.1: Growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40 per cent of the population and the total populationSI_HEI_TOTL: Growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita (%)Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other statusIndicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 per cent of median income, by sex, age and persons with disabilitiesSI_POV_50MI: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%)Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regardIndicator 10.3.1: Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights lawVC_VOV_GDSD: Proportion of population reporting having felt discriminated against, by grounds of discrimination, sex and disability (%)Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equalityIndicator 10.4.1: Labour share of GDPSL_EMP_GTOTL: Labour share of GDP (%)Indicator 10.4.2: Redistributive impact of fiscal policySI_DST_FISP: Redistributive impact of fiscal policy, Gini index (%)Target 10.5: Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulationsIndicator 10.5.1: Financial Soundness IndicatorsFI_FSI_FSANL: Non-performing loans to total gross loans (%)FI_FSI_FSERA: Return on assets (%)FI_FSI_FSKA: Regulatory capital to assets (%)FI_FSI_FSKNL: Non-performing loans net of provisions to capital (%)FI_FSI_FSKRTC: Regulatory Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets (%)FI_FSI_FSLS: Liquid assets to short term liabilities (%)FI_FSI_FSSNO: Net open position in foreign exchange to capital (%)Target 10.6: Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutionsIndicator 10.6.1: Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizationsSG_INT_MBRDEV: Proportion of members of developing countries in international organizations, by organization (%)SG_INT_VRTDEV: Proportion of voting rights of developing countries in international organizations, by organization (%)Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policiesIndicator 10.7.1: Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of monthly income earned in country of destinationIndicator 10.7.2: Number of countries with migration policies that facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of peopleSG_CPA_MIGRP: Proportion of countries with migration policies to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, by policy domain (%)SG_CPA_MIGRS: Countries with migration policies to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, by policy domain (1 = Requires further progress; 2 = Partially meets; 3 = Meets; 4 = Fully meets)Indicator 10.7.3: Number of people who died or disappeared in the process of migration towards an international destinationiSM_DTH_MIGR: Total deaths and disappearances recorded during migration (number)Indicator 10.7.4: Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of originSM_POP_REFG_OR: Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin (per 100,000 population)Target 10.a: Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreementsIndicator 10.a.1: Proportion of tariff lines applied to imports from least developed countries and developing countries with zero-tariffTM_TRF_ZERO: Proportion of tariff lines applied to imports with zero-tariff (%)Target 10.b: Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmesIndicator 10.b.1: Total resource flows for development, by recipient and donor countries and type of flow (e.g. official development assistance, foreign direct investment and other flows)DC_TRF_TOTDL: Total assistance for development, by donor countries (millions of current United States dollars)DC_TRF_TOTL: Total assistance for development, by recipient countries (millions of current United States dollars)DC_TRF_TFDV: Total resource flows for development, by recipient and donor countries (millions of current United States dollars)Target 10.c: By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per centIndicator 10.c.1: Remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remittedSI_RMT_COST: Remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remitted (%)SI_RMT_COST_BC: Corridor remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remitted (%)SI_RMT_COST_SC: SmaRT corridor remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remitted (%)

United States US: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data was reported at 46.900 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 46.400 % for 2013. United States US: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 46.000 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2016, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 46.900 % in 2016 and a record low of 41.200 % in 1979. United States US: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Abstract

The Global Findex 2025 reveals how mobile technology is equipping more adults around the world to own and use financial accounts to save formally, access credit, make and receive digital payments, and pursue opportunities. Including the inaugural Global Findex Digital Connectivity Tracker, this fifth edition of Global Findex presents new insights on the interactions among mobile phone ownership, internet use, and financial inclusion.

The Global Findex is the world’s most comprehensive database on digital and financial inclusion. It is also the only global source of comparable demand-side data, allowing cross-country analysis of how adults access and use mobile phones, the internet, and financial accounts to reach digital information and resources, save, borrow, make payments, and manage their financial health. Data for the Global Findex 2025 were collected from nationally representative surveys of about 145,000 adults in 141 economies. The latest edition follows the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2021 editions and includes new series measuring mobile phone ownership and internet use, digital safety, and frequency of transactions using financial services.

The Global Findex 2025 is an indispensable resource for policy makers in the fields of digital connectivity and financial inclusion, as well as for practitioners, researchers, and development professionals.

Geographic coverage

National Coverage

Analysis unit

Individual

Kind of data

Observation data/ratings [obs]

Sampling procedure

In most low- and middle-income economies, Global Findex data were collected through face-to-face interviews. In these economies, an area frame design was used for interviewing. In most high-income economies, telephone surveys were used. In 2024, face-to-face interviews were again conducted in 22 economies after phone-based surveys had been employed in 2021 as a result of mobility restrictions related to COVID-19. In addition, an abridged form of the questionnaire was administered by phone to survey participants in Algeria, China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Libya, Mauritius, and Ukraine because of economy-specific restrictions. In just one economy, Singapore, did the interviewing mode change from face to face in 2021 to phone based in 2024.

In economies in which face-to-face surveys were conducted, the first stage of sampling was the identification of primary sampling units. These units were then stratified by population size, geography, or both and clustered through one or more stages of sampling. Where population information was available, sample selection was based on probabilities proportional to population size; otherwise, simple random sampling was used. Random route procedures were used to select sampled households. Unless an outright refusal occurred, interviewers made up to three attempts to survey each sampled household. To increase the probability of contact and completion, attempts were made at different times of the day and, where possible, on different days. If an interview could not be completed at a household that was initially part of the sample, a simple substitution method was used to select a replacement household for inclusion.

Respondents were randomly selected within sampled households. Each eligible household member (that is, all those ages 15 or older) was listed, and a handheld survey device randomly selected the household member to be interviewed. For paper surveys, the Kish grid method was used to select the respondent. In economies in which cultural restrictions dictated gender matching, respondents were randomly selected from among all eligible adults of the interviewer’s gender.

In economies in which Global Findex surveys have traditionally been phone based, respondent selection followed the same procedure as in previous years, using random digit dialing or a nationally representative list of phone numbers. In most economies in which mobile phone and landline penetration is high, a dual sampling frame was used.

The same procedure for respondent selection was applied to economies in which phone-based interviews were being conducted for the first time. Dual-frame (landline and mobile phone) random digit dialing was used where landline presence and use are 20 percent or higher based on historical Gallup estimates. Mobile phone random digit dialing was used in economies with limited or no landline presence (less than 20 percent). For landline respondents in economies in which mobile phone or landline penetration is 80 percent or higher, respondents were selected randomly by using either the next-birthday method or the household enumeration method, which involves listing all eligible household members and randomly selecting one to participate. For mobile phone respondents in these economies or in economies in which mobile phone or landline penetration is less than 80 percent, no further selection was performed. At least three attempts were made to reach the randomly selected person in each household, spread over different days and times of day.

Research instrument

The English version of the questionnaire is provided for download.

Sampling error estimates

Estimates of standard errors (which account for sampling error) vary by country and indicator. For country-specific margins of error, please refer to the Methodology section and corresponding table in: Klapper, Leora, Dorothe Singer, Laura Starita, and Alexandra Norris. 2025. The Global Findex Database 2025: Connectivity and Financial Inclusion in the Digital Economy. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-2204-9.

In China, the share of the population that earned at least the equivalent of the highest ** percent of global income earners as of 2022 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms was *** percent. Shenzhen topped the list with the highest share of the upper or high-class category consumers, at over ** percent.

Abstract

The Global Findex 2025 reveals how mobile technology is equipping more adults around the world to own and use financial accounts to save formally, access credit, make and receive digital payments, and pursue opportunities. Including the inaugural Global Findex Digital Connectivity Tracker, this fifth edition of Global Findex presents new insights on the interactions among mobile phone ownership, internet use, and financial inclusion.

The Global Findex is the world’s most comprehensive database on digital and financial inclusion. It is also the only global source of comparable demand-side data, allowing cross-country analysis of how adults access and use mobile phones, the internet, and financial accounts to reach digital information and resources, save, borrow, make payments, and manage their financial health. Data for the Global Findex 2025 were collected from nationally representative surveys of about 145,000 adults in 141 economies. The latest edition follows the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2021 editions and includes new series measuring mobile phone ownership and internet use, digital safety, and frequency of transactions using financial services.

The Global Findex 2025 is an indispensable resource for policy makers in the fields of digital connectivity and financial inclusion, as well as for practitioners, researchers, and development professionals.

Geographic coverage

National Coverage

Analysis unit

Individual

Kind of data

Observation data/ratings [obs]

Sampling procedure

In most low- and middle-income economies, Global Findex data were collected through face-to-face interviews. In these economies, an area frame design was used for interviewing. In most high-income economies, telephone surveys were used. In 2024, face-to-face interviews were again conducted in 22 economies after phone-based surveys had been employed in 2021 as a result of mobility restrictions related to COVID-19. In addition, an abridged form of the questionnaire was administered by phone to survey participants in Algeria, China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Libya, Mauritius, and Ukraine because of economy-specific restrictions. In just one economy, Singapore, did the interviewing mode change from face to face in 2021 to phone based in 2024.

In economies in which face-to-face surveys were conducted, the first stage of sampling was the identification of primary sampling units. These units were then stratified by population size, geography, or both and clustered through one or more stages of sampling. Where population information was available, sample selection was based on probabilities proportional to population size; otherwise, simple random sampling was used. Random route procedures were used to select sampled households. Unless an outright refusal occurred, interviewers made up to three attempts to survey each sampled household. To increase the probability of contact and completion, attempts were made at different times of the day and, where possible, on different days. If an interview could not be completed at a household that was initially part of the sample, a simple substitution method was used to select a replacement household for inclusion.

Respondents were randomly selected within sampled households. Each eligible household member (that is, all those ages 15 or older) was listed, and a handheld survey device randomly selected the household member to be interviewed. For paper surveys, the Kish grid method was used to select the respondent. In economies in which cultural restrictions dictated gender matching, respondents were randomly selected from among all eligible adults of the interviewer’s gender.

In economies in which Global Findex surveys have traditionally been phone based, respondent selection followed the same procedure as in previous years, using random digit dialing or a nationally representative list of phone numbers. In most economies in which mobile phone and landline penetration is high, a dual sampling frame was used.

The same procedure for respondent selection was applied to economies in which phone-based interviews were being conducted for the first time. Dual-frame (landline and mobile phone) random digit dialing was used where landline presence and use are 20 percent or higher based on historical Gallup estimates. Mobile phone random digit dialing was used in economies with limited or no landline presence (less than 20 percent). For landline respondents in economies in which mobile phone or landline penetration is 80 percent or higher, respondents were selected randomly by using either the next-birthday method or the household enumeration method, which involves listing all eligible household members and randomly selecting one to participate. For mobile phone respondents in these economies or in economies in which mobile phone or landline penetration is less than 80 percent, no further selection was performed. At least three attempts were made to reach the randomly selected person in each household, spread over different days and times of day.

Research instrument

The English version of the questionnaire is provided for download.

Sampling error estimates

Estimates of standard errors (which account for sampling error) vary by country and indicator. For country-specific margins of error, please refer to the Methodology section and corresponding table in: Klapper, Leora, Dorothe Singer, Laura Starita, and Alexandra Norris. 2025. The Global Findex Database 2025: Connectivity and Financial Inclusion in the Digital Economy. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-2204-9.

In 2022, about 40 percent of adults in Mexico held a net worth under 10,000 U.S. dollars. In contrast, merely 393,000 Mexicans (that is, 0.4 percent of the total) had a net worth of over one million U.S. dollars. Mexico is one of the most unequal countries in Latin America regarding wealth distribution, with 78.7 percent of the national wealth held by the richest ten percent of the population.

The minimum salaryThe minimum wage per day guaranteed by law in Mexico was decreed to increase by 22 percent between 2021 and 2022, reaching 172.87 Mexican pesos in 2022. In the Free Zone located near the northern border the minimum daily wage was raised to 260.34 Mexican pesos.This represented the fourth consecutive incrase since 2019, but could prove to be insufficient to maintain the wellbeing of Mexican workers after the soaring inflation rate registered in 2022 and the economic impact of the COVID-19 in Mexican households. The legal minimum salary has a long history in the North American country, it was first implemented with the approval of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States in 1917. Income inequality in Latin AmericaLatin America, as other developing regions in the world, generally records high rates of inequality, with a Gini coefficient ranging between 38 and 54 among the region’s countries. Moreover, many of the countries with the biggest inequality in income distribution worldwide are found in Latin America. According to the Human Development Report 2019, wealth redistribution by means of tax transfers improves Latin America's Gini coefficient to a lesser degree than it does in advanced economies. Wider access to education and health services, on the other hand, have been proven to have a greater direct effect in improving Gini coefficient measurements in the region.

Abstract

The Global Findex 2025 reveals how mobile technology is equipping more adults around the world to own and use financial accounts to save formally, access credit, make and receive digital payments, and pursue opportunities. Including the inaugural Global Findex Digital Connectivity Tracker, this fifth edition of Global Findex presents new insights on the interactions among mobile phone ownership, internet use, and financial inclusion.

The Global Findex is the world’s most comprehensive database on digital and financial inclusion. It is also the only global source of comparable demand-side data, allowing cross-country analysis of how adults access and use mobile phones, the internet, and financial accounts to reach digital information and resources, save, borrow, make payments, and manage their financial health. Data for the Global Findex 2025 were collected from nationally representative surveys of about 145,000 adults in 141 economies. The latest edition follows the 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2021 editions and includes new series measuring mobile phone ownership and internet use, digital safety, and frequency of transactions using financial services.

The Global Findex 2025 is an indispensable resource for policy makers in the fields of digital connectivity and financial inclusion, as well as for practitioners, researchers, and development professionals.

Geographic coverage

National Coverage

Analysis unit

Individual

Kind of data

Observation data/ratings [obs]

Sampling procedure

In most low- and middle-income economies, Global Findex data were collected through face-to-face interviews. In these economies, an area frame design was used for interviewing. In most high-income economies, telephone surveys were used. In 2024, face-to-face interviews were again conducted in 22 economies after phone-based surveys had been employed in 2021 as a result of mobility restrictions related to COVID-19. In addition, an abridged form of the questionnaire was administered by phone to survey participants in Algeria, China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Libya, Mauritius, and Ukraine because of economy-specific restrictions. In just one economy, Singapore, did the interviewing mode change from face to face in 2021 to phone based in 2024.

In economies in which face-to-face surveys were conducted, the first stage of sampling was the identification of primary sampling units. These units were then stratified by population size, geography, or both and clustered through one or more stages of sampling. Where population information was available, sample selection was based on probabilities proportional to population size; otherwise, simple random sampling was used. Random route procedures were used to select sampled households. Unless an outright refusal occurred, interviewers made up to three attempts to survey each sampled household. To increase the probability of contact and completion, attempts were made at different times of the day and, where possible, on different days. If an interview could not be completed at a household that was initially part of the sample, a simple substitution method was used to select a replacement household for inclusion.

Respondents were randomly selected within sampled households. Each eligible household member (that is, all those ages 15 or older) was listed, and a handheld survey device randomly selected the household member to be interviewed. For paper surveys, the Kish grid method was used to select the respondent. In economies in which cultural restrictions dictated gender matching, respondents were randomly selected from among all eligible adults of the interviewer’s gender.

In economies in which Global Findex surveys have traditionally been phone based, respondent selection followed the same procedure as in previous years, using random digit dialing or a nationally representative list of phone numbers. In most economies in which mobile phone and landline penetration is high, a dual sampling frame was used.

The same procedure for respondent selection was applied to economies in which phone-based interviews were being conducted for the first time. Dual-frame (landline and mobile phone) random digit dialing was used where landline presence and use are 20 percent or higher based on historical Gallup estimates. Mobile phone random digit dialing was used in economies with limited or no landline presence (less than 20 percent). For landline respondents in economies in which mobile phone or landline penetration is 80 percent or higher, respondents were selected randomly by using either the next-birthday method or the household enumeration method, which involves listing all eligible household members and randomly selecting one to participate. For mobile phone respondents in these economies or in economies in which mobile phone or landline penetration is less than 80 percent, no further selection was performed. At least three attempts were made to reach the randomly selected person in each household, spread over different days and times of day.

Research instrument

The English version of the questionnaire is provided for download.

Sampling error estimates

Estimates of standard errors (which account for sampling error) vary by country and indicator. For country-specific margins of error, please refer to the Methodology section and corresponding table in: Klapper, Leora, Dorothe Singer, Laura Starita, and Alexandra Norris. 2025. The Global Findex Database 2025: Connectivity and Financial Inclusion in the Digital Economy. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-2204-9.

Norway NO: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data was reported at 36.500 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 35.900 % for 2014. Norway NO: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 35.900 % from Dec 2003 (Median) to 2015, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 40.500 % in 2004 and a record low of 34.800 % in 2011. Norway NO: Income Share Held by Highest 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Norway – Table NO.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Ghana GH: Income Share Held by Lowest 20% data was reported at 5.400 % in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.200 % for 2005. Ghana GH: Income Share Held by Lowest 20% data is updated yearly, averaging 6.200 % from Dec 1987 (Median) to 2012, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.000 % in 1988 and a record low of 5.200 % in 2005. Ghana GH: Income Share Held by Lowest 20% data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ghana – Table GH.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.