Wealth creation is faster in Middle East: HNWIs

A majority of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) in the Middle East believe wealth creation is faster today than in the past, according to the latest report of Barclays Wealth Insights. Over half (60%) of respondents in the Middle East agreed that wealth can be created faster today than in the past, in comparison to 43 per cent in Europe and 31 per cent in North America. Interestingly, more than half (54%) of Middle Eastern respondents stated that personal investments have contributed largely to their overall wealth portfolio, compared to other sources of income such as inheritance at 49 per cent. In terms of how this wealth is used, HNWIs in the Middle East have a tendency to allocate more of their resources to personal property than to tangible assets and collectibles. Many HNWIs around the world now prefer to give their money to family and friends and charitable causes in their lifetime rather than as inheritance, the report revealed.