Markets
Ranked: The 10 Wealthiest Countries in the World
The 10 Wealthiest Countries
The Chart of the Week is a weekly Visual Capitalist feature on Fridays.
According to market research company New World Wealth, the world has accumulated $215 trillion in private wealth, a 12% increase over the last year.
Incredibly, the vast majority of this wealth – about 73.5% – is held by just 10 countries:
| Rank | Country | Wealth ($ Trillions) | Change (2007-2017, %) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | United States | $62.6 | 20% |
| #2 | China | $24.8 | 198% |
| #3 | Japan | $19.5 | 22% |
| #4 | United Kingdom | $9.9 | -2% |
| #5 | Germany | $9.7 | 0% |
| #6 | India | $8.2 | 160% |
| #7 | France | $6.6 | -11% |
| #8 | Canada | $6.4 | 25% |
| #9 | Australia | $6.1 | 83% |
| #10 | Italy | $4.3 | -19% |
Over the last decade, China and India have more than doubled their wealth. Meanwhile, developed economies like the United States and Japan have increased wealth at modest rates – and some, like Italy and France, even lost modest amounts of private wealth over that duration of time.
Finally, it should be noted that the United Kingdom’s decrease above is mainly due to the depreciation of the GBP, which dropped in dollar terms from roughly $2.00 to $1.35 over the decade in question.
Future Projections
How is global wealth expected to shift in the future?
According to New World Wealth, the same 10 countries will dominate the landscape – but the order will change considerably over the next decade:
| Proj. Rank | Country | Proj. Wealth ($ Trillions, 2027) | Change (2017-2027, %) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | United States | $75.1 | 20% |
| #2 | China | $69.4 | 180% |
| #3 | Japan | $25.4 | 30% |
| #4 | India | $24.7 | 200% |
| #5 | United Kingdom | $10.9 | 10% |
| #6 | Germany | $10.6 | 10% |
| #7 | Australia | $10.4 | 70% |
| #8 | Canada | $8.3 | 30% |
| #9 | France | $7.3 | 10% |
| #10 | Italy | $4.7 | 10% |
While the ranking order of the top three wealthiest countries will remain the same, India is expected to shoot up 200% to claim the #4 position with $24.7 trillion in private wealth.
Meanwhile, France and Australia are two other significant movers – and they are going opposite directions.
France will continue its descent down the ranking to 9th place with just 10% growth in a decade, and Australia will increase wealth at a rate that is very impressive for a developed economy. By 2027, it’s expected to be the world’s seventh richest country in terms of private wealth, with a total of $10.4 trillion. That will rival powerhouses like Germany and the United Kingdom, each with private wealth near the $11 trillion mark.
For more on private wealth, see the 15 wealthiest cities as well the countries that are gaining (or losing) wealth at the fastest rates.
Markets
Charted: Tesla’s Unrivaled Profit Margins
This infographic compares Tesla’s impressive profit margins to various Western and Chinese competitors.
Chart: Tesla’s Unrivaled Profit Margins
In January this year, Tesla made the surprising announcement that it would be cutting prices on its vehicles by as much as 20%.
While price cuts are not new in the automotive world, they are for Tesla. The company, which historically has been unable to keep up with demand, has seen its order backlog shrink from 476,000 units in July 2022, to 74,000 in December 2022.
This has been attributed to Tesla’s robust production growth, which saw 2022 production increase 41% over 2021 (from 930,422 to 1,313,851 units).
With the days of “endless” demand seemingly over, Tesla is going on the offensive by reducing its prices—a move that puts pressure on competitors, but has also angered existing owners.
Cranking up the Heat
Tesla’s price cuts are an attempt to protect its market share, but they’re not exactly the desperation move some media outlets have claimed them to be.
Recent data compiled by Reuters shows that Tesla’s margins are significantly higher than those of its rivals, both in terms of gross and net profit. Our graphic only illustrates the net figures, but gross profits are also included in the table below.
| Company | Gross profit per car | Net profit per car |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 Tesla | $15,653 | $9,574 |
| 🇺🇸 GM | $3,818 | $2,150 |
| 🇨🇳 BYD | $5,456 | $1,550 |
| 🇯🇵 Toyota | $3,925 | $1,197 |
| 🇩🇪 VW | $6,034 | $973 |
| 🇰🇷 Hyundai | $5,362 | $927 |
| 🇺🇸 Ford | $3,115 | -$762 |
| 🇨🇳 Xpeng | $4,565 | -$11,735 |
| 🇨🇳 Nio | $8,036 | -$19,141 |
Data from Q3 2022
Price cutting has its drawbacks, but one could argue that the benefits for Tesla are worth it based on this data—especially in a critical market like China.
Tesla has taken the nuclear option to bully the weaker, thin margin players off the table.
– Bill Russo, Automobility
In the case of Chinese EV startups Xpeng and Nio, net profits are non-existent, meaning it’s unlikely they’ll be able to match Tesla’s reductions in price. Both firms have reported year-on-year sales declines in January.
As for Tesla, Chinese media outlets have claimed that the firm received 30,000 orders within three days of its price cut announcement. Note that this hasn’t been officially confirmed by anyone within the company.
Tit for Tat
Ford made headlines recently for announcing its own price cuts on the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV. The model is a direct competitor to Tesla’s best-selling Model Y.
Chevrolet and Hyundai have also adjusted some of their EV prices in recent months, as listed in the following table.
| Model | Old Price | New Price | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model Y Long Range | $65,990 | $53,490 | 18.9% |
| Chevrolet Bolt EUV 2023 | $33,500 | $27,200 | 18.8% |
| Tesla Model Y Performance | $69,990 | $56,990 | 18.6% |
| Chevrolet Bolt 2023 | $31,600 | $26,500 | 16.1% |
| Tesla Model 3 Performance | $62,990 | $53,990 | 14.3% |
| Hyundai Kona Electric 2022 | $37,390 | $34,000 | 9.1% |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Extended Range | $69,900 | $64,000 | 8.4% |
| Tesla Model 3 Long Range | $46,990 | $43,990 | 6.4% |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD | $57,675 | $53,995 | 6.4% |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD Standard Range | $46,900 | $46,000 | 1.9% |
Source: Observer (Feb 2023)
Volkswagen is a noteworthy player missing from this table. The company has been gaining ground on Tesla, especially in the European market.
We have a clear pricing strategy and are focusing on reliability. We trust in the strength of our products and brands.
– Oliver Blume, CEO, VW Group
This decision could hamper Volkswagen’s goal of becoming a dominant player in EVs, especially if more automakers join Tesla in cutting prices. For now, Tesla still holds a strong grip on the US market.
Thanks, Elon
Recent Tesla buyers became outraged when the company announced it would be slashing prices on its cars. In China, buyers even staged protests at Tesla stores and delivery centers.
Recent buyers not only missed out on a better price, but their cars have effectively depreciated by the amount of the cut. This is a bitter turn of events, given Musk’s 2019 claims that a Tesla would be an appreciating asset.
I think the most profound thing is that if you buy a Tesla today, I believe you are buying an appreciating asset – not a depreciating asset.
– Elon Musk, CEO, Tesla
These comments were made in reference to Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) capabilities, which Elon claimed would enable owners to turn their cars into robotaxis.
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