An IMGW News Report
𝑰𝑵 𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑬𝑭:
- 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒔 34% 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒅 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 37% 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅’𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔.
- 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒀𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒐𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 384,500 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒔𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂’𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕-𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒖𝒃.
- 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂’𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒆𝒏𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑼𝑺 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆 183% 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓-𝒐𝒏-𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓.
- 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝑩-5 𝑰𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒂 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 $55 𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 1.4 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒋𝒐𝒃𝒔.
- 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑’𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 ‘𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒅’ 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕-𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑼𝑺 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 $5 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒇𝒕.
In a world where capital is mobile and borders increasingly porous, the paradox of America’s wealth migration is becoming ever more pronounced. While the United States remains the unrivalled epicentre of private wealth, many of its own millionaires are now exploring exits. The newly published USA Wealth Report 2025 by Henley & Partners paints a telling picture: the nation simultaneously attracts more foreign capital than any other country, even as its wealthiest citizens seek second passports and overseas boltholes.
According to the report, the US accounts for 34% of global liquid investable wealth, with 6.1 million millionaires, 9,850 centi-millionaires, and 788 billionaires residing within its borders. New York is firmly established as the wealthiest city in the world, boasting 384,500 millionaires – more than London, Tokyo or Singapore. The San Francisco Bay Area follows, propelled by tech-driven fortunes, and now hosts 82 billionaires, the highest tally of any U.S. metro region.
“Many Americans are increasingly looking outward”
At the same time, newer hubs are rapidly ascending. Scottsdale, Arizona, recorded a 125% increase in its millionaire population from 2013 to 2023, making it the fastest-growing city in the US by wealth metrics. Austin and West Palm Beach also saw growth of 110% and 105%, respectively, over the same period – reflecting the southward migration of capital and talent.
Yet the story does not end with accumulation. Many Americans are increasingly looking outward. Henley & Partners reports a 183% year-on-year increase in enquiries by US nationals seeking alternative citizenship or residency abroad. While motivations vary, key drivers include political polarisation, tax concerns, and global mobility benefits. Popular destinations include Portugal, Malta, and certain Caribbean nations offering citizenship-by-investment programmes.
On the other side of the ledger, global demand for US residence remains strong. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme, launched in 1990, has so far attracted over $55 billion in foreign direct investment, created approximately 1.4 million jobs, and delivered billions in tax revenue. In Q1 2025 alone, Henley recorded a 57% increase in EB-5 enquiries over the previous year, with a 168% spike compared to Q4 2024.
“While motivations vary, key drivers include political polarisation, tax concerns, and global mobility benefits. Popular destinations include Portugal, Malta, and certain Caribbean nations offering citizenship-by-investment programmes”
Now, a bold new policy may turbocharge this flow. Former President Donald Trump is reportedly advancing a ‘Gold Card’ proposal: a pathway to fast-tracked US citizenship in exchange for a $5 million investment or equivalent national contribution. While details remain vague, it would represent one of the most explicit endorsements of investment migration by a G7 nation.
As Jean Paul Fabri, Henley’s Chief Economist, observes, “The USA remains the world’s best place to create and grow wealth – even as some citizens hedge their bets abroad. This is not contradiction; it’s diversification.”
In today’s world, citizenship is no longer a birthright – it is a portfolio decision.
