South Africa, Egypt and Morocco have been ranked among the world’s leading hubs for ultra-high-net-worth individuals in Knight Frank’s The Wealth Report 2026, reinforcing their positions as Africa’s foremost centres of private wealth.

The report defines ultra-high-net-worth individuals as people with at least $30 million in net assets, excluding the value of their primary residence.

Although they make up only a small share of the global population, UHNWIs control a substantial portion of global wealth and play a pivotal role in investment, entrepreneurship and capital allocation.

The report shows the rapid expansion of the global ultra-wealthy population. Between 2021 and 2026, the number of UHNWIs worldwide increased from 551,435 to 713,626, adding 162,191 people with net assets of at least $30 million.

This equates to an average of about 89 individuals joining the ultra-wealthy ranks every day over the five-year period.

The report attributes much of this growth to the United States, which accounted for 41 per cent of all newly created UHNWIs during the period, underscoring the scale, depth and wealth-generating capacity of the world’s largest economy.

The United States remains the world’s largest hub for UHNWIs in 2026, while China ranks second with nearly 122,000 individuals in the category.

Combined, the two economic powers account for roughly 55 per cent of the global ultra-high-net-worth population, reflecting their continued dominance in global finance, technology and entrepreneurship.