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By Dipesh Ghimire

New York Dominates, Mumbai and New Delhi Rise as Emerging Billionaire Hubs

New York Dominates, Mumbai and New Delhi Rise as Emerging Billionaire Hubs

The latest Hurun Global Rich List 2025 has once again redrawn the world map — not with national borders, but with the density of billionaires concentrated in global cities. This year’s data shows that economic power is no longer just about national GDPs, but about cities that have become magnets for capital, technology, influence, and legacy wealth.

At the top of this year’s list is New York, home to a record 129 billionaires. But the bigger story lies in the rapid ascent of Mumbai (90), Shanghai (92), and Beijing (91) — all cities from Asia, signaling a significant power shift eastward.

New York: The Billionaire Capital of the World

Despite growing competition, New York retains its status as the global epicenter of private wealth.
The city continues to benefit from:

  • The commanding presence of Wall Street, global stock exchanges, and hundreds of hedge funds

  • A large cluster of real estate moguls, media barons, and tech investors

  • A deep-rooted ecosystem of elite education, art, fashion, and healthcare

Its political stability and infrastructure continue to draw global billionaires even as others move to lower-tax locations.

London: Holding Its Ground as Europe’s Wealth Stronghold

London holds second place with 97 billionaires, demonstrating that despite the uncertainties of Brexit, the city remains a premier destination for the ultra-rich.

Its appeal lies in:

  • The non-domicile tax structure, attracting foreign wealth

  • Its position as a legal, cultural, and banking hub

  • Proximity to continental Europe while maintaining the global language of business: English

Many billionaires use London not only for residence but also as a base for family offices, private wealth management, and philanthropic institutions.

China’s Triumvirate of Wealth: Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen

Shanghai (92) and Beijing (91) have become symbols of China’s economic transformation. Once known for state-owned enterprises and bureaucratic machinery, these cities are now dominated by:

  • Tech entrepreneurs, particularly in AI, hardware, and software

  • Manufacturing billionaires, leveraging global supply chains

  • Fintech and green energy investors, supported by Chinese industrial policy

Meanwhile, Shenzhen, once a fishing village, now hosts 85 billionaires, reflecting China’s deep investment in innovation and industrial parks.

India’s Urban Billionaire Surge: Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru

India has made its mark this year with three cities in the global top 25:

  • Mumbai (90): Long known as the financial and media capital of India, Mumbai is home to traditional industrialist families (Reliance, Tata, Adani) as well as emerging fintech unicorns.

  • New Delhi (63): Political influence, land ownership, and policy access have created a class of tycoons concentrated in India’s capital.

  • Bengaluru (25): Known as India’s Silicon Valley, this city reflects a new generation of wealth, built on SaaS, blockchain, and startup exits.

The rise of Indian cities highlights how a combination of stock market growth, startup ecosystems, and liberal economic policies is driving billionaire creation.

Other Notable Cities in the Billionaire Club

  • San Francisco (55): Home to Silicon Valley, it remains the innovation nerve center of the U.S. despite California’s high taxes.

  • Singapore (48): A tax-efficient, clean, and safe city drawing billionaires from China, India, and Southeast Asia.

  • Moscow (69): Russia’s oligarch capital still holds its ground despite international sanctions.

  • Paris (46), Bangkok (43), and Istanbul (28) show that billionaires are spread across regions once considered outside elite wealth circles.

What’s Driving Billionaire Growth in These Cities?

  1. Policy & Taxation: Cities like London, Singapore, and Palm Beach offer friendly tax laws and investor residency programs.

  2. Innovation Clusters: San Francisco, Bengaluru, and Shenzhen are tech and startup hotspots.

  3. Financial Access: Cities like New York and Mumbai are built around stock markets, IPOs, and banking powerhouses.

  4. Cultural & Educational Magnetism: Billionaires want quality of life — great hospitals, elite schools, safe neighborhoods, and cultural capital.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

The billionaire map tells a powerful story:

  • Power is shifting east — with Asia gaining faster than ever before.

  • Cities have become microstates — they create their own economic gravity.

  • Wealth is tied to innovation and infrastructure, not just resources or manufacturing.

Governments and urban planners will increasingly need to:

  • Design cities that attract talent and capital

  • Balance elite wealth attraction with public infrastructure

  • Prevent over-concentration that may lead to inequality

Meanwhile, investors, brands, and political analysts would do well to monitor city-level economics — because that’s where the next 100 billionaires are being made.

Top 5 Cities by Number of Billionaires (2025)

Rank

City

Country

No. of Billionaires

1

New York

USA

129

2

London

UK

97

3

Shanghai

China

92

4

Beijing

China

91

5

Mumbai

India

90

Source: Hurun Global Rich List 2025

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