1. Where’s the Wealth in 2026?

Global luxury sales fell 2% in 2024, but regional trends reveal a more nuanced story (Bain, 2025). China drove the decline, while the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) saw 6% growth (Chalhoub Group, 2025). Prestige brands are expanding strategically, adapting established services for luxury’s strongest markets.

2. A New Era for Performative Wealth

Between pop culture spotlighting well-off individuals and the increasing numbers of ultra-wealthy individuals worldwide, luxury is becoming more visible in consumers’ day-to-day lives (regardless of net worth). Cue an interest in loud luxury, where boldly proclaiming one’s status is celebrated. However, worsening wealth inequality is also leading to an uptick in high-profile giving (see also Tomorrow’s Super Spenders).

3. Meet the Everyday Millionaires

Between 2000 and 2024, the number of people worldwide with $1m-$5m in assets quadrupled to approximately 52 million (UBS, 2025). These “everyday millionaires” are wealthy on paper but still budget conscious. While lacking the individual assets of their ultra-high net worth (UHNW) peers, their collective spend – and hunger for exclusive experiences – makes them essential for brands looking to build long-term loyalty.

4. Living with Nature’s Harmony

Globally, there’s an uptick in high-end residential developments that harness nature’s healing properties, appealing to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) looking for tranquil, wellness-conscious homes. From urban green space to regenerative farms, these nature-saturated spaces give residents the privilege of connecting deeply with the world around them.

5. Low-Tech Exclusivity

“The new status symbol isn't what you have online, but your ability to disappear from it,” writes Kristoff D’Oria di Cirie, a UK-based luxury brand consultant. HNWIs are using their resources to divert their attention away from tech and toward connective, restorative activities. This is a boon for brands, who are spinning their preference for analogue engagement to evoke a sense of you-had-to-be-there exclusivity.

6. New Education Norms for Next-Gen Elites

Between increasingly competitive school admissions and AI's classroom integration, wealthy families are reconsidering what constitutes quality education. International schooling is gaining appeal even in regions with elite institutions (like the US and UK), while some ultra-wealthy individuals are using their fortunes to shape learning trajectories – particularly evident in China's billionaire-funded universities.

7. Luxury’s Evolving Longevity Economy

HNWIs account for 56% of spending on wellness and longevity treatments (BCG x Altagamma, 2025), a share expected to grow as home-based therapies and health retreats gain traction. But extended lifespans create new concerns about sustaining wealth for more years, indicating the longevity market for wealthy individuals has significant room to expand beyond health alone.

8. Borderless Wealth

In an evolution of trends in Tomorrow’s Super Spenders, HNWIs are moving to cities and countries that suit their financial priorities and lifestyle – a phenomenon that’s accelerating alongside new forms of wealth creation and shifting taxation regulations. As location-agnostic lifestyles proliferate, wealthy consumers want brands to provide services that facilitate their footloose lifestyles.

9. Luxury Focuses on Gen X

By 2040, Gen X is forecast to account for 45% of the world’s UHNWIs, up from 25% today (Altrata, 2025). By 2030 they’ll overtake baby boomers as the largest UHNWI demographic globally. Smart brands should already be courting Gen X, whose focus on quality, wellbeing and wealth preservation makes them apt luxury consumers.

10. Luxury’s Heritage & History-Seekers

Among consumers spending more than €10k ($11.5k) annually on luxury goods, 80% value cultural references in marketing (High Snobiety x BCG, 2025). As spending among some cohorts declines, forward-thinking brands are deepening engagement through immersive museum exhibits and pop-ups – maintaining aspiration and ensuring they're top of mind when the market rebounds.