（Singapore, 06.05.2026）The world’s wealthiest families are increasingly changing how and where they invest as geopolitical tensions, wars and shifting global policies reshape financial markets.
From family offices buying hard assets and artificial intelligence companies, to billionaires moving capital across borders and luxury property markets tightening regulations, the global wealth landscape is entering a new phase driven less by globalization and more by uncertainty, security and political risk.
The shift has accelerated during US President Donald Trump’s second term, as investors react to a more aggressive foreign policy stance from Washington and rising instability in key regions including the Middle East.
According to Bloomberg’s latest Family Office Focus report, many billionaire families and ultra wealthy investors are repositioning their portfolios to prepare for what some advisers now describe as a “conflict economy.”
Christina Wing, co-founder of advisory firm Wingspan Legacy Partners, said wealthy families are increasingly seeking protection through tangible investments.
“People are being driven towards hard assets right now,” she said, referring to commodities and other physical assets that can better withstand market volatility.
Family Offices Adjust Investment Strategies
The changes are not only happening in investment strategies, but also in where family offices operate.
London based Alta Advisers, linked to the billionaire Rausing family behind the Tetra Pak empire, has exited Hong Kong, reflecting a wider trend of wealthy families reassessing their global presence amid rising costs and changing regulations.
Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris also closed his family office branch in London following recent UK tax policy changes.
Meanwhile, wealth managers are increasingly competing for billionaire clients across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Swiss private bank EFG International recently expanded its focus on wealthy individuals from Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, while Brazilian multifamily office Emerald Gestão de Investimentos hired former Banco Safra executive Sergio Penchas as chief executive officer after assets under management surged sharply last year.
In Asia, Chinese crypto billionaire Li Lin is transferring his entire trading team from his family office into a wealth management company in which he owns a stake, as he seeks to attract more wealthy crypto investors.
Artificial intelligence remains one of the biggest investment themes among wealthy families.
According to PitchBook data cited by Bloomberg, ultra wealthy individuals and family offices in Asia invested US$24.3 billion (S$30.81 billion) into AI startups last year, nearly three times higher than the previous year.
At the same time, billionaire backed investors are tightening their grip on commercial real estate globally.
Knight Frank’s 2026 wealth report showed private capital spent a record US$464 billion (S$588 billion) on offices, warehouses and rental housing last year, surpassing institutional investors.
Spanish fashion billionaire Amancio Ortega alone reportedly spent US$1.5 billion (S$1.9 billion) on properties in 2025.
The energy sector has also benefited from geopolitical instability.
Mexico’s richest man Carlos Slim and his family reportedly earned large gains from investments in US oil companies during the recent Iran conflict, selling around US$500 million worth of energy stocks after prices surged.
Billionaires Respond to Market Volatility
Market volatility linked to geopolitical tensions has also created enormous swings in billionaire wealth.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the world’s 500 richest people collectively added US$265 billion (S$336 billion) in a single day in April after investors grew optimistic that a ceasefire between the US and Iran would hold.
The gain marked the second largest one day increase ever recorded by the index.
The rally pushed up the fortunes of some of the world’s richest individuals, including Mark Zuckerberg, who added US$12.8 billion (S$16.22 billion) in one day after shares in Meta Platforms surged.
Luxury tycoon Bernard Arnault and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin also gained billions during the rally.
However, despite the rebound, the world’s richest individuals remain slightly poorer overall this year due to earlier market losses.
Among the billionaires actively reshaping their investment structures is Google co-founder Sergey Brin.
Brin’s family office, Bayshore Global Management, recently absorbed Nexus NeuroTech Ventures, a brain health investment fund managing more than US$200 million (S$253.6 million).
The move brings investments in neuroscience and brain related technologies directly under Brin’s family office umbrella.
Brin has spent years funding research into Parkinson’s disease, autism and other neurological conditions, partly influenced by his family history and genetic risk for Parkinson’s.
Other tech billionaires including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates have also increased investments in brain technology and neuroscience research.
Luxury Wealth Hubs Face Greater Scrutiny
Even traditional billionaire safe havens are facing pressure.
In Monaco, authorities are tightening anti money laundering rules after the country was placed on an international “grey list” in 2024 over concerns about insufficient financial oversight.
The crackdown has affected Monaco’s ultra luxury property market, including the high profile Mareterra waterfront development where apartments can cost hundreds of millions of euros.
One of the project’s biggest purchases came from Ukraine’s richest man Rinat Akhmetov, who reportedly bought a five-floor apartment for €471 million (S$703 million).
Authorities are now enforcing stricter “know your customer” checks, requiring buyers to provide extensive financial documentation before obtaining residency or purchasing luxury properties.
Some wealthy investors from the Middle East, Russia and China have reportedly abandoned attempts to relocate to Monaco because of the tougher requirements.
Despite concerns the rules could slow investment, Monaco officials say protecting the country’s reputation is more important than attracting questionable wealth.
Traditional business dynasties are also adjusting to technological disruption.
Canada’s Thomson family, which controls Thomson Reuters, is expected to receive more than US$500 million (S$633.9 million) in payouts even as the company’s shares have fallen sharply amid concerns over artificial intelligence disrupting the information industry.
The Thomson family still controls roughly 71% of the company through its holding structure, maintaining significant influence despite growing market uncertainty surrounding AI.
Across the billionaire world, one message is becoming increasingly clear. Wealth preservation is no longer only about finding growth opportunities. It is also about navigating geopolitical shocks, technological disruption and rapidly changing global order.
