A new analysis from Oxfam and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reveals that chief executive officer compensation surged 20 times faster than worker pay globally in 2025. The report highlights a stark widening of inequality, particularly in the United States.
Global Trends in CEO and Worker Pay
When adjusted for inflation, global worker pay declined by 12% between 2019 and 2025, equating to roughly 108 days of unpaid work over that period. In contrast, CEO compensation increased by 54% during the same timeframe. The average CEO received $8.4 million in total compensation in 2025, up from $7.6 million in 2024.
The analysis also examined the investment portfolios of over 1,000 billionaires, finding that they were paid $2,500 per second in dividends in 2025. For every two hours of the year, the average billionaire earned more in dividends than the average worker earned in annual pay.
Record Billionaire Wealth
Billionaire wealth has reached record highs in 2026, with the wealthiest individuals gaining $4 trillion over the past 12 months, a 13.2% increase from 2025. This accumulation far outpaces wage growth for ordinary workers.
US Inequality Worse Than Global Average
In the United States, inequality was even more pronounced. CEO pay increased 20.4 times faster than worker pay in 2025. For 384 S&P 500 CEOs with available compensation data, pay rose by 25% from 2024 to 2025, while average hourly earnings for private-sector workers increased only 1.3% in the same period.
Luc Triangle, general secretary of the ITUC, stated: "This analysis exposes the billionaire coup against democracy and its costs for working people. Companies promise us a virtuous cycle, but what we see is a vicious cycle led by mega corporations – they undermine collective bargaining and social dialogue while billionaire CEOs capture the wealth created by productivity gains."
Gender Pay Gap Among Top Corporations
The report covered the top-paying 1,500 corporations across 33 countries that disclose CEO compensation for 2025. Researchers identified a 16% gender pay gap, noting that women at these companies essentially work for free after 4 November each year.
Highest-Paid CEOs
The top 10 highest-paid CEOs collectively received over $1 billion in 2025. Four corporations – Blackstone, Broadcom, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft – each paid their CEOs more than $100 million in 2025.
Amitabh Behar, executive director of Oxfam International, commented: "We can’t continue to let a handful of super-rich people siphon off the rewards of work that belong to millions. Governments must cap CEO pay, fairly tax the super-rich and ensure minimum wages at the very least keep pace with inflation and ensure a dignified living."
Behar added: "These measures can do far more than redistribute income; they can create economies that reward work, invest in communities and hold powerful interests accountable. This is how we turn a system rigged for the few into one that works for everyone."
