UBS: $83 Trillion Wealth Transfer Over Next Two Decades

UBS released a report stating that $83 trillion in private wealth will transfer to new beneficiaries globally over the next two to three decades, marking what the bank characterizes as the “largest transfer of wealth in modern history” from one generation to another. According to UBS, this shift will be driven by aging demographics, longer life expectancies, and decades of rising asset prices.

Scale and Geographic Distribution

According to UBS director and strategist Libby Stantial, approximately one-third of the total wealth transfer—about $29 trillion—will occur in the United States. Stantial emphasized the unprecedented scale of the transfer: “$83 trillion. That’s almost three times the size of the US GDP. And most of that $83 trillion is going to be transferred in the United States, about $29 trillion. So the scale and the size alone make this truly unprecedented.”

Transfer Mechanics and Beneficiaries

The wealth transfer will occur in two directions: horizontally, between spouses, and vertically, from one generation to another. Contrary to common assumptions that wealth transfer primarily benefits younger generations, Stantial noted that beneficiaries will span multiple age groups. Gen X and baby boomers will also receive wealth transfers for some of the first time, alongside millennials and Gen Z. According to Stantial, “It’s less about age when it comes to the wealth transfer and more about preparedness and responsibility.”