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Globally the wealth disparity between the rich and the poor is rapidly growing. The overall wealth of billionaires hit a record high in 2025 according to the recent Oxfam report. The situation has gotten so dangerous that the 12 richest billionaires in the world now possess more wealth than the worlds poorest half. The report was released ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos sparking a new discussion on global economic inequality. What factors have contributed to billionaires amassing more wealth than half the global population? The Oxfam report finds that in 2025 the total value of global billionaires rose to $18.3 trillion a 16.2% increase. This spike can be attributed primarily to the policies of several governments - most notably the U.S. - which benefit large corporations and wealthy investors. Additionally the report explains how loopholes in existing regulations as well as attempts to diminish international agreements on corporate taxes have directly benefited those at the top of the wealth distribution. Actions of the Trump presidency including the championing of deregulation and undermining agreements to increase corporate taxation have benefited the richest around the world Oxfam stated as reported by AFP. How are billionaires influencing media and public opinion globally? The Oxfam report mentions Billionaire wealth jumped by over 16 per cent in 2025 three times faster than the past five-year average to $18.3 trillion – its highest level in history according to a new Oxfam report today as the World Economic Forum opens in Davos. The report for the first time shows that the world has more than 3000 billionaires with the top spot going to Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla and SpaceX). According to Oxfam the combined wealth of the 12 richest people is more than the total wealth of the four billion poorest people or the poorest 50% of the worlds population. This difference illustrates the growing inequality in the world. As reported by Oxfam this growing concentration of wealth is not only becoming an economic issue but it is also creating new opportunities for these individuals to wield political influence. According to Oxfam many billionaires are playing a significant role in influencing media and public opinion. Some examples of this are when Elon Musk bought the social media site known as Twitter (now called X) and Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post. The concern is that as this trend continues to grow it will create further conflicts of interest and threaten the integrity of the democratic system. “The widening gap between the rich and the rest is at the same time creating a political deficit that is highly dangerous and unsustainable” said Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar. “Governments are making wrong choices to pander to the elite and defend wealth while repressing people’s rights and anger at how so many of their lives are becoming unaffordable and unbearable” Behar said. Billionaire wealth has grown rapidly under the Trump administrations pro-billionaire policies. The administration has reduced tax rates on high earners countered global tax initiatives on large multinational corporations rolled back measures designed to combat monopoly powers and helped create an environment that has led to a spike in share prices of technology companies involved in Artificial Intelligence (AI). As a result many billionaires around the world are benefiting from the rising value of their holdings of AI-related companies. Oxfams report focuses on an analysis of the system itself rather than naming any of the top twelve billionaires directly. The organization believes that the real threat to our democracy comes from the economic power that these individuals wield due to their wealth as they continue to use that power to affect the laws and policies that will benefit them. Oxfam warns that if this trend continues then ordinary citizens will continue to lose their ability to participate in and shape democratic expressions of freedom thereby undermining democracy. Oxfam estimates that billionaires are 4000 times more likely to hold political office than ordinary citizens. A World Values Survey of 66 countries found that almost half of all people polled say that the rich often buy elections in their country reads the press release.