More than a third of high net worth individuals worldwide are actively considering relocating to lower tax countries, according to new data released Sunday by deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organizations.
The findings confirm what industry experts are calling the Great Wealth Migration, with approximately 35 percent of deVere’s 80,000 client base seeking advice on relocating themselves, their families, or business operations to jurisdictions with more favorable tax regimes.
Clients from the United Kingdom, parts of Europe, Australia, and select Asian and African countries are driving the surge in relocation enquiries, according to Nigel Green, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of deVere Group. The organization manages approximately 14 billion US dollars in assets under advisement.
The data arrives as global wealth migration reaches historic levels. Investment migration specialists project that 165,000 millionaires will relocate across international borders in 2026, marking the largest annual movement of wealthy individuals ever recorded. This represents a 16 percent increase from the 142,000 millionaires who relocated in 2025.
Green emphasized that current relocations reflect structured, deliberate planning rather than impulsive decisions. High net worth individuals are reassessing where they base themselves and their assets in response to tax changes, geopolitical tension, and policy unpredictability.
Internal advisory data from deVere shows a marked increase in enquiries relating to tax residency restructuring, domicile review, second residency rights, and cross border corporate realignment. Conversations that once centered on optimization are now centered on risk management, Green noted.
The advisory firm identified three dominant forces driving the shift. First, jurisdictional risk has become a core wealth variable. Tax exposure is no longer treated as static, with changes to capital gains tax, inheritance frameworks, and preferential regimes in several mature economies highlighting how rapidly fiscal conditions can shift.
Policy direction can change within a single political cycle, creating measurable financial risk for families concentrated in one tax regime or political system. Clients are restructuring legal and residency arrangements to avoid excessive exposure.
Second, relocation has become increasingly defensive. Previous waves of cross border mobility were largely driven by expansion and growth opportunities. Today’s movement reflects wealth preservation and asset protection priorities, according to Green.
Safeguarding generational wealth, ensuring operational continuity, and reducing vulnerability to sudden legislative shifts now motivate relocation decisions. Succession planning features prominently in discussions, with families reviewing inheritance exposure, trust structures, and intergenerational asset transfer mechanisms alongside residency decisions.
Third, capital is clustering around policy predictability. Interest is concentrating in jurisdictions offering fiscal clarity, strong legal systems, and long term policy stability. Regions combining competitive tax regimes with institutional robustness are seeing sustained inbound demand from globally mobile wealth.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to attract attention due to its zero personal income tax and long term residency frameworks. Henley and Partners, an investment migration consultancy, projects the UAE received a net inflow of approximately 9,800 millionaires in 2025, the largest of any country globally.
Select European destinations and Asian financial centers offering regulatory stability are also drawing increased interest from internationally active families. Entrepreneurs are evaluating corporate headquarters moves, alternative holding structures, and operational redomiciliation strategies to optimize after tax returns and strengthen strategic positioning.
The scale of movement is notable. Global trends indicate rising millionaire outflows from higher tax jurisdictions alongside record inflows into policy stable destinations. The United Kingdom is projected to see the largest single country net departure, with 16,500 high net worth individuals leaving in 2025, according to Henley and Partners data.
Green cautioned that relocation decisions are complex. Double taxation treaties, substance requirements, reporting obligations, and long term residency qualification rules must be carefully assessed. Structured professional advice is essential to ensure compliance and effective execution.
The Great Wealth Migration represents rational thinking in response to evolving global risk, Green stated. Wealthy individuals are making strategic decisions about where to live, operate, and structure assets to enhance long term wealth resilience, protection, and growth.
deVere Group operates a network of offices worldwide, serving more than 80,000 clients across international, mass affluent, and high net worth segments.
