Here\u2019s another stat that the Occupy Wall Streeters can hoist on their placards: The world\u2019s millionaires and billionaires now control 38.5% of the world\u2019s wealth.<\/p>\n
According to the latest Global Wealth Report from Credit Suisse, the 29.7 million people in the world with household net worths of $1 million (representing less than 1% of the world\u2019s population) control about $89 trillion of the world\u2019s wealth.\u00a0 That\u2019s up from a share of 35.6% in 2010, and their wealth increased by about $20 trillion, according Credit Suisse.<\/p>\n
The wealth of the millionaires grew 29% \u2014 about twice as fast as the wealth in the world as a whole, which now has $231 trillion in wealth.<\/p>\n
The U.S. has been the largest wealth generator over the past 18 months, according to the report, adding $4.6 trillion to global wealth. China ranked second with $4 trillion, followed by Japan ($3.8 trillion), Brazil ($1.87 trillion) and Australia ($1.85 trillion).<\/p>\n
There are now 84,700 people in the world worth $50 million or more \u2014 with 35,400 of them living in the U.S.. There are 29,000 people world-wide worth $100 million or more and 2,700 worth $500 million or more.<\/p>\n
The fastest growth in the coming years will be in China, India and Brazil. China now has a million millionaires. Wealth in China and Africa is expected to grow 90%, to $39 trillion and $5.8 trillion respectively, by 2016. Wealth in India and Brazil \u00a0is expected to more than double to $8.9 trillion and $9.2 trillion respectively.<\/p>\n