Billionaire wives are about to inherit a huge slice of the $6.6 trillion great wealth transfer—and 1,235 women stand to cash in by 2035

The world’s richest have amassed an eye-watering stockpile of $15.1 trillion—and their heirs are set to take over a third of the global billionaire fortune in the coming decade. Women and Gen Xers are set to take home the largest slice of the pie. 

About 5,000 spouses and adult children will inherit $6.6 trillion of billionaire wealth by 2035, according to a recent report from wealth-intelligence firm Altrata. 

More and more billionaires are inheriting part of their wealth thanks to the growing frequency of inter-generational estate transfers and family gifting. And within the next 10 years, new billionaire records could be broken as thousands more receive wealth from the current group of 3,795 billionaires—an all-time record. 

Looking ahead, women stand to gain the most from the great wealth transfer. Only 13% of current billionaires are women—but as men over the age of 60 dominate the ultra-rich cohort, more than 1,235 female spouses (representing 90% of billionaire partners) will inherit a sizable chunk in the next decade. Altrata says the mega-wealthy gender gap will narrow over time, and as their fortunes grow, there will be “greater diversity” in decision-making and ownership.

“[Rising female billionaire representation] could also spur more entrepreneurial activity and........

© Fortune