Wealth, Investment & Real Estate: A 26-Country Study of HNWI & UHNWI
Online survey (CAWI)
Client
A global wealth and investment organisation seeking a single, comparable read on how the world's affluent think about, manage and grow their wealth. Beyond traditional wealth management, the client wanted to understand the role of real estate investment within affluent portfolios—how it supports wealth creation, inheritance planning, and long-term financial growth across global markets. Market Xcel conducted this global wealth and investment research across 26 countries, delivering both cross-country comparisons and dedicated insights into real estate investments among HNWIs in India.
Objective of the Study
To understand the perceptions, thought processes and behaviours of HNWI and UHNWI investors around their wealth-management practices, while examining the role of real estate as an investment asset. Specific objectives included:
Understand how affluent investors perceive, plan and act on wealth management across markets
Assess the share of HNWI wealth allocated to real estate
Examine the role of real estate in wealth creation and inheritance
Evaluate demand for property advisory and property-management services
Research Methodology
The study was executed as an online (CAWI) survey across 26 countries in five regions, deployed in respondents' preferred languages to reach a hard-to-access audience while generating reliable cross-country affluent investor insights. The research delivered robust HNWI insights across both mature and emerging wealth markets.
Mode: Online survey (CAWI)
Interview length: Approximately 30 minutes per respondent
Languages: Deployed in 14 languages across 26 markets
Total sample: 5,000 HNWI & UHNWI respondents
India sample: 400 respondents, spread across metro and non-metro cities
Other markets: 4,600 respondents across the remaining 25 countries
Sample by region:
North America — 800 respondents: Canada, USA
Latin America — 250 respondents: Brazil, Mexico
Europe — 1,460 respondents: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, UK
Middle East — 240 respondents: KSA, UAE
Asia Pacific — 2,250 respondents: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand
India city coverage:
Top 8 cities: Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad
Non-metro cities: Vadodara, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Jaipur, Bhopal, Indore, Patna
Research Outcome
The study delivered a comparable, cross-market view of wealth behavior and investment decision-making, with a clear focus on real estate investment as an asset class. Key findings included:
How HNWI and UHNWI investors perceive and manage their wealth across 26 markets
The share of affluent wealth allocated to real estate and how it differs by geography
The role real estate plays in wealth creation and intergenerational wealth transfer
Where demand exists for professional property advisory and property-management services
A dedicated India perspective, offering HNWI insights across metro and emerging non-metro cities
Business Impact
The research equipped the client with a unified view of global wealth trends and affluent investment behaviour across 26 countries, enabling sharper wealth-management strategies and stronger client engagement. It also highlighted where property advisory services could add value to HNWI and UHNWI portfolios. Supported by dedicated India findings and broader investment research, the study enabled evidence-based market prioritisation and more effective service offerings across global and regional markets.
Looking to better understand affluent investors across global markets?
Gain the evidence you need to strengthen wealth management strategies, refine advisory services, and uncover new growth opportunities through robust HNWI and UHNWI research.
KEEP READING
