High-Net-Worth Individuals

High-net-worth individual (HNWI) is a term used by some segments of the financial services industry to designate persons whose investible wealth (assets such as stocks and bonds) exceed a given amount. Typically, these individuals are defined as holding financial assets (excluding their primary residence) with a value greater than US$1 million.

“Very-HNWI” (VHNWI) can refer to someone with a net worth of at least US$5 million.

The Capgemini and Merrill Lynch World Wealth Report 2006 defines an additional class of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs), those with US $30 million in liquid financial assets or with a disposable income of more than US$20 million.

At the end of 2018, there were estimated to be just over 14 million HNWIs in the world. The United States had the highest number of HNWIs (4,900,000) of any country, while New York City had the most HNWIs (377,000) among cities.