Billionaires are hoarding piles of cash (2024)

Billionaires are holding mountains of cash, offering the latest sign that the ultra-wealthy are nervous about putting more money into today's markets.

According to the new Billionaire Census from Wealth-X and UBS, the world's billionaires are holding an average of $600 million in cash each—greater than the gross domestic product of Dominica. That marks a jump of $60 million from a year ago and translates into billionaires' holding an average of 19 percent of their net worth in cash.

"This increased liquidity signals that many billionaires are keeping their money on the sidelines and waiting for the optimal moment to make further investments," the study said.

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Indeed, billionaires' cash holdings far exceed their investments in real estate. Their real-estate holdings average $160 million per billionaire, or about one-fifth of their cash holdings.

Simon Smiles, chief investment officer for Ultra High Net Worth at UBS Wealth Management, said that the billionaire families and family offices he talks to are focused largely on the same question: What to do with all their cash.

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"The apparent safety of cash, reinforced by the painful psychological experience of the 2008-09 global financial crisis and the subsequent troubles within the European Monetary Union, likely reinforces the tendency to favor this cautious allocation strategy," Smiles said in the report.

But he said creeping inflation threatens to erode cash values, so he's advising clients to take on "considered amounts of risk" with interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, or selling rates or foreign exchange derivatives.

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Yet in today's increasingly frothy market environment, and after the hangover of 2009, today's billionaires prefer a return of their assets rather than a return on assets. And in fact, they may be happy with a small loss rather than risk a larger one.

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Smiles said that the large cash holdings aren't specific to billionairesmillionaires and multimillionaires are also holding cash hordes, on the order of 20 percent to 30 percent of their net worth.

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The wealthy are still traumatized by the financial crisis in 2009, when many wealthy families were scrambling for cash, he said. What's more, many wealthy families missed out on the big financial-market rallies in 2012 and 2013 and feel like they missed the best chance to invest.

"It's the combination of many people having been under-invested in equities and under-invested in wide risk assets having seen rallies and missed those rallies," he said. "Things are no longer cheap, and it's emotionally hard to get invested now."

Billionaires are hoarding piles of cash (2024)

FAQs

Why do rich people hoard so much money? ›

The rich hoard so much cash because they are always looking for investment opportunities. One of the main reasons why rich people are rich is because they recognize investment opportunities when they arise and jump all over them.

Do billionaires hoard wealth? ›

The view that billionaires are like dragons just sitting on their piles of gold coins is simply false. But billionaires do more than just directly invest their large fortunes. They store almost all of their uninvested money with banks and other financial institutions.

Do rich people carry a lot of cash? ›

Many millionaires keep a lot of their money in cash or highly liquid cash equivalents. They establish an emergency account before ever starting to invest. Millionaires bank differently than the rest of us. Any bank accounts they have are handled by a private banker who probably also manages their wealth.

How much money do billionaires actually have in the bank? ›

A billionaire has a net worth of at least one billion units in their native currency, such as dollars or euros. Net worth is calculated as assets minus liabilities or debts. A billionaire's assets may include cash and cash equivalents, real estate, and business and personal property.

Does hoarding cash hurt the economy? ›

Hoarding is often considered harmful because it prevents commodities from being used in the rest of the economy. Investing can help firms to produce more commodities and other products.

What does hoarding of money lead to? ›

While there is low risk of currency oversupply and accelerated inflation when hoarding money, financial hoarding may distort the value of assets and commodities and intensify the risk of losing money in investments or business ventures, as less money circulates through active economic instruments such listed companies.

Do all billionaires come from money? ›

A recent study of ultra-rich Americans showed that almost three-quarters had help in building their fortunes. According to a Bank of America Private Bank study into the backgrounds of the ultra wealthy, the remaining 27% did not inherit any money at all.

How much money is controlled by billionaires? ›

The richest 1 percent grabbed nearly two-thirds of all new wealth worth $42 trillion created since 2020, almost twice as much money as the bottom 99 percent of the world's population, reveals a new Oxfam report today. During the past decade, the richest 1 percent had captured around half of all new wealth.

Can a billionaire ever go broke? ›

It is very rare for a person to achieve the status of billionaire and then lose it. Although it is a rare occurrence, it is not unheard of. Usually, one expects a billionaire to be shrewd enough to protect their wealth. However, situations could get tough sometimes.

What amount of cash is considered rich? ›

How much money do you need to be considered rich? According to Schwab's 2022 Modern Wealth Survey, Americans believe it takes an average net worth of $2.2 million to qualify a person as being wealthy. (Net worth is the sum of your assets minus your liabilities.)

Do rich people pay cash or card? ›

Wealthy Americans generally use credit cards the same way that everyone else does. They opt for cash back and no annual fee cards, and generally trust the big issuers. But they have some bad habits, too -- about half had an automatic payment set up, and only a third pay their statement or full balance every month.

Where do millionaires keep their cash? ›

Some millionaires keep their cash in Treasury bills. They keep rolling them over to reinvest them and liquidate them when they need the cash. Treasury bills are short-term notes issued by the U.S government to raise money and can usually get purchased at a discount.

Where is the safest place to keep cash at home? ›

Where to safely keep cash at home. Just like any other piece of paper, cash can get lost, wet or burned. Consider buying a fireproof and waterproof safe for your home. It's also useful for storing other valuables in your home such as jewelry and important personal documents.

What bank do millionaires put their money in? ›

Millionaires tend to turn to private banks for a variety of reasons. Since they offer a wide range of financial products, services, and expertise under one roof, the element of convenience can be very enticing. There are also several perks and more favorable options and rates, making the bank very attractive.

What kind of bank do billionaires use? ›

Bank of America, Citibank, Union Bank, and HSBC, among others, have created accounts that come with special perquisites for the ultrarich, such as personal bankers, waived fees, and the option of placing trades. The ultrarich are considered to be those with more than $30 million in assets.

What are the 5 stages of hoarding? ›

The 5 Stages of Hoarding: What are They?
  • Clutter, but no concern. ...
  • Deteriorating hygiene, possible hoarder. ...
  • Extreme disorganization, likely disorder. ...
  • Excessive clutter & behavior, contact professionals. ...
  • Severe unsanitary conditions, hoarding diagnosis.
May 3, 2022

What are the dangers of keeping cash at home? ›

What Are the Risks of Keeping Cash at Home?
  • Stolen Cash Is Hard to Recover. ...
  • Money at Home Won't Earn Interest. ...
  • Cash Can Deteriorate.
Oct 4, 2022

Should I hoard cash during a recession? ›

Your biggest risk in a recession is the loss of your job, if you're still employed or semi-employed. If you need to tap your savings for living expenses, a cash account is your best bet. Stocks tend to suffer in a recession, and you don't want to have to sell stocks in a falling market.

What is the mental illness of money hoarding? ›

Abstract. Compulsive hoarders feel emotional attachments to their money and possessions, making it difficult for them to spend or discard accumulated items. Traditionally, hoarding has been seen as a symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD).

Is hoarding money the same as saving? ›

Saving of money can be done at any time one prefers to keep rather than consuming. Money hoarding is an act of obtaining resources and keeping them in an attempt to sell to the customers at a preferred higher price in the future. It is regarded as unethical practice since it creates a false scarcity in the market.

Is hoarding a form of greed? ›

According to psychologists, the greed is the first thing that motives people to hoard goods. Many people start collecting goods in abundant quantity regardless they need or do not them. It means greed among people causes the hoarding and finally hoarding leads psychological disorder.

Do billionaires keep cash in the bank? ›

High net worth investors typically keep millions of dollars or even tens of millions in cash in their bank accounts to cover bills and unexpected expenses. Their balances are often way above the $250,000 FDIC insured limit.

Did 79 millionaires inherit $0? ›

When Ramsey's National Study of Millionaires asked where the riches came from, they found that a whopping 79% didn't receive any inheritance from parents or other family members. Not one cent. Unpaid bills perhaps (though the study didn't ask).

How do rich families stay rich? ›

Wealthy families often have a diverse range of investments, including stocks, bonds, real estate, and alternative assets like hedge funds and private equity. This helps to spread risk and ensure that the family's wealth is not overly reliant on any one investment.

How many billionaires are there in Canada? ›

How many billionaires reside in Canada? In 2021, there were 53 billionaires in Canada and that number rose to 65 in 2022.

What race holds the most wealth in the world? ›

While white households make 64% of the population, they held more than 80% of all wealth measured in assets in 2022. In the third quarter of 2022, the nation's white households had $124.5 trillion in assets as measured by the Federal Reserve.

What country has most billionaires? ›

The United States of America is home to 735 billionaires

The Forbes 2023 rich list reveals that 2,640 billionaires of the world hail from 77 countries or territories. The country with the highest number of billionaires is, unsurprisingly, the US.

Who was the billionaire that never was? ›

This book is a biography of Charles Francis (Chuck) Feeney, one of the world's billionaires in the twentieth century. Its 337 pages are a quick read, a fascinating story about a self-made American who gave away most of his fortune to various charitable endeavors.

Why are all billionaires losing money? ›

The United States' billionaires lost $660 billion collectively, the highest of any country by Forbes's count, as tech stock prices took a nosedive fueled by rising interest rates, soaring inflation and a worsening economy.

Is it stressful to be a billionaire? ›

The Boston studies have consistently found respondents to be a generally dissatisfied lot, whose vast fortunes have contributed to deep anxieties involving love, work, and family. They are often even dissatisfied with the size of their fortunes.

What does the Bible say about wealth hoarding? ›

Ecclesiastes 5:13 tells us wealth hoarded does so to the harm of the owner; Isaiah 23:18 tells us that those who don't hoard their wealth, their profits will go toward abundant food and fine clothes; and James 5:3 tells us if you hoarded wealth in the last days your gold or silver will be corroded and eat your flesh ...

What is the rich mentality to money? ›

Rich mindset seeks to spend their time, resources, and energy on work that continues to pay off long after the effort has been invested. Rich mindset is all about getting a flywheel spinning. Building momentum.

What is the main reason people hoard? ›

Hoarding can be related to difficult experiences and painful feelings. You may find these hard to express, face or resolve. Some people say hoarding helps them cope with other mental health problems, or distracts them from feeling very anxious, upset or afraid.

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