Cross-Border HNWI Migration to Hit 165,000 by 2026 as UAE Draws 10,000 Millionaires
Updated
Updated · boutiquehotelnews.com · Jun 12
Cross-Border HNWI Migration to Hit 165,000 by 2026 as UAE Draws 10,000 Millionaires
1 articles · Updated · boutiquehotelnews.com · Jun 12
Summary
165,000 high-net-worth individuals are forecast to relocate across borders by end-2026, up from 142,000 in 2025, according to a PKF Hospitality whitepaper on wealth migration.
That rise is reshaping branded residences as mobile wealth fuels demand from three main buyer groups: primary-home owners, second-home buyers—now the largest segment—and investors seeking rental income and brand premiums.
The UAE remained the top destination, attracting nearly 10,000 new HNWIs in 2025, while the UK, China, India, South Korea and Russia accounted for most millionaire outflows in 2025-26.
Dubai could face short- to mid-term pressure as Middle East geopolitical tensions push some investors toward other stable markets, including the US, Singapore, Switzerland, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
Emerging hotspots such as Montenegro, Malta, Latvia, Costa Rica and Panama are also gaining affluent residents, while PKF sees technology, sustainability and wellness driving the sector's next growth phase.
With Europe's golden visas tightening, which emerging countries offer the next best deal for investor residency and luxury living?
As millionaires flee the UK and China, is the UAE's allure as a safe haven threatened by its own regional tensions?
Is the global migration of the super-rich creating a new class of 'citizens of nowhere' with no national allegiance?
Global Wealth Migration 2025-2026: Record Millionaire Exodus Reshapes Economic Powerhouses and Emerging Hubs
Overview
Global wealth is experiencing an unprecedented transformation, marked by the largest voluntary transfer of private capital in modern history. Millionaire relocations are accelerating rapidly, with projections reaching 165,000 annual moves by 2026. This significant movement of wealth is reshaping economies and challenging traditional ideas of financial stability and attractiveness for the wealthy. The United Kingdom is set to see the largest outflow of millionaires in 2025, losing 16,500 high-net-worth individuals and billions in combined wealth. These shifts highlight how global wealth migration is redefining which countries attract and retain affluent individuals.