Wealth
All of the World’s Money and Markets in One Visualization
All of the World’s Money and Markets in One Visualization
In the current economic circumstances, there are some pretty large numbers being thrown around by both governments and the financial media.
The U.S. budget deficit this year, for example, is projected to hit $3.8 trillion, which would be more than double the previous record set during the financial crisis ($1.41 trillion in FY2009). Meanwhile, the Fed has announced “open-ended” asset-buying programs to support the economy, which will add even more to its current $7 trillion balance sheet.
Given the scale of these new numbers—how can we relate them back to the more conventional numbers and figures that we may be more familiar with?
Introducing the $100 Billion Square
In the above data visualization, we even the playing field by using a common denominator to put the world’s money and markets all on the same scale and canvas.
Each black square on the chart is worth $100 billion, and is not a number to be trifled with:
In fact, the entire annual GDP of Cuba could fit in one square ($97 billion), and the Greek economy would be roughly two squares ($203 billion).
Alternatively, if you’re contrasting this unit to numbers found within Corporate America, there are useful comparisons there as well. For example, the annual revenues of Wells Fargo ($103.9 billion) would just exceed one square, while Facebook’s would squeeze in with room to spare ($70.7 billion).
Billions, Trillions, or Quadrillions?
Here’s our full list, which sums up all of the world’s money and markets, from the smallest to the biggest, along with sources used:
Category | Value ($ Billions, USD) | Source |
---|---|---|
Silver | $44 | World Silver Survey 2019 |
Cryptocurrencies | $244 | CoinMarketCap |
Global Military Spending | $1,782 | World Bank |
U.S. Federal Deficit (FY 2020) | $3,800 | U.S. CBO (Projected, as of April 2020) |
Coins & Bank Notes | $6,662 | BIS |
Fed's Balance Sheet | $7,037 | U.S. Federal Reserve |
The World's Billionaires | $8,000 | Forbes |
Gold | $10,891 | World Gold Council (2020) |
The Fortune 500 | $22,600 | Fortune 500 (2019 list) |
Stock Markets | $89,475 | WFE (April 2020) |
Narrow Money Supply | $35,183 | CIA Factbook |
Broad Money Supply | $95,698 | CIA Factbook |
Global Debt | $252,600 | IIF Debt Monitor |
Global Real Estate | $280,600 | Savills Global Research (2018 est.) |
Global Wealth | $360,603 | Credit Suisse |
Derivatives (Market Value) | $11,600 | BIS (Dec 2019) |
Derivatives (Notional Value) | $558,500 | BIS (Dec 2019) |
Derivatives (Notional Value - High end) | $1,000,000 | Various sources (Unofficial) |
Derivatives top the list, estimated at $1 quadrillion or more in notional value according to a variety of unofficial sources.
However, it’s worth mentioning that because of their non-tangible nature, the value of financial derivatives are measured in two very different ways. Notional value represents the position or obligation of the contract (i.e. a call to buy 100 shares at the price of $50 per share), while gross market value measures the price of the derivative security itself (i.e. $1.00 per call option, multiplied by 100 shares).
It’s a subtle difference that manifests itself in a big way numerically.
Correction: Graphic updated to reflect the average value of an NBA team.
Maps
Where the Ultra-Rich Spend Their Holidays
In this graphic, we visualize the destinations that saw the biggest influx of seasonal centi-millionaire residents in 2022.

Visualized: Where the Ultra-Rich Spend Their Holidays
There are more than 25,000 centi-millionaires around the world today, forming an elite club composed primarily of founders and heirs of family fortunes.
According to Henley & Partners, most of these individuals—who have more than $100 million in investable assets by definition—split their time between several properties each year.
To explore the destinations that are the most sought-after by the ultra-wealthy, we’ve visualized the cities that saw the biggest influx of seasonal centi-millionaire residents in 2022, using data from Henley & Partners.
Centi-Millionaire Vacation Hotspots
The top three seasonal vacation hotspots of the ultra-rich are found in the United States: Miami, the Hamptons, and Florida’s West Palm Beach.
This may not come as a shock given the concentration of centi-millionaires in the United States, with New York, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles being home to the highest number of centi-millionaire residents in the world.
Regardless of where they live year-round, the table below reveals where these elites flock for seasonal getaways in their secondary homes.
Rank | City or Town | Year-Round Centi-Millionaire Residents, 2022 | Peak Holiday Month Centi-Millionaire Residents, 2022 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 🇺🇸 Miami, Florida | 160 | 800 |
2 | 🇺🇸 The Hamptons, New York | 25 | 700 |
3 | 🇺🇸 West Palm Beach, Florida | 64 | 400 |
4 | 🇫🇷 Paris, France | 126 | 300 |
5 | 🇺🇸 Santa Barbara & Montecito, California | 82 | 200 |
6 | 🇺🇸 San Diego, California | 70 | 200 |
7 | 🇫🇷 Nice, France | 60 | 200 |
8 | 🇺🇸 Napa, California | 28 | 200 |
9 | 🇵🇹 Golden Triangle, Algarve, Portugal | 20 | 200 |
10 | 🇺🇸 Aspen, Colorado | 6 | 200 |
11 | 🇺🇸 Carmel-by-the-Sea, California | 40 | 150 |
12 | 🇺🇸 Boca Raton, Florida | 38 | 150 |
13 | 🇵🇹 Lisbon, Portugal | 35 | 150 |
14 | 🇨🇭 Lugano, Switzerland | 30 | 150 |
15 | 🇫🇷 Cannes, France | 20 | 150 |
16 | 🇫🇷 Antibes, France | 18 | 150 |
17 | 🇺🇸 Jackson Hole, Wyoming | 10 | 150 |
The data above only considers centi-millionaires vacationing in their secondary residences, therefore excluding hotel stays, holiday rentals, and yachts. Peak holiday months vary for each location.
Beyond the 10 U.S. cities that constitute the top 17 centi-millionaire seasonal hotspots, we come across several French cities on the list, including Paris, Nice, Cannes, and Antibes, as well as Portugal’s Golden Triangle and Lisbon.
Global Centi-Millionaire Trends
According to Henley & Partners’ 2023 Centi-Millionaire Report, the global centi-millionaire population is expected to grow by 38% in the next decade, reaching nearly 40,000 by 2033.
Much of this growth is expected to be seen in countries such as China, India, and Saudi Arabia. China’s Hangzhou and Shenzhen, specifically, are expected to see the highest percentage growth in centi-millionaire populations through 2033, growing by 95% and 88%, respectively.
Despite the rapid growth of the wealthy in the global East, however, it’s notable that many centi-millionaires are still graduating from American universities.
More than half of the top 20 universities with the most centi-millionaire alumni are in the United States, with Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Pennsylvania making up the top three spots.
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