A new global analysis by Oxfam International and the International Trade Union Confederation has found that CEO pay increased far faster than worker wages in 2025. The analysis stated executive compensation rose sharply while millions of workers struggled with rising prices and weak wage growth. Researchers found that global CEO pay increased 20 times faster than worker pay last year.
According to the analysis, average CEO compensation rose by 54% between 2019 and 2025. In contrast, worker pay fell by 12% after adjusting for inflation during the same period. The report said workers effectively lost the equivalent of 108 days of wages between 2019 and 2025 because salaries failed to keep pace with inflation.
The average CEO earned $8.4 million in total compensation in 2025, up from $7.6 million in 2024.
Researchers also found that billionaire wealth continued to grow at a rapid pace. The study said billionaires earned around $2,500 every second through dividends from investment portfolios in 2025.
The analysis covered investment data linked to more than 1,000 billionaires worldwide. It said the average billionaire received more money in dividends in two hours than the average worker earned in an entire year, reported The Guardian.
The report added that billionaire wealth reached record levels in 2026. According to the findings, the world’s richest people added $4 trillion to their wealth over the past year, marking a 13.2% rise from 2025.
How wide has the pay gap become?
The study found that inequality in the United States exceeded the global average. For 384 CEOs in the S&P 500 whose compensation details were available, CEO pay rose by 25% between 2024 and 2025. During the same period, average hourly wages for private sector workers increased by only 1.3%.
The report said CEO pay in the United States grew 20.4 times faster than worker wages in 2025.
Researchers examined compensation data from 1,500 major corporations across 33 countries. These companies publicly reported executive pay figures for 2025.
Among those corporations, the report found a 16% gender pay gap. Researchers said women working at these companies effectively worked “for free” after 4 November each year because of unequal pay compared to men.
The study also found that the top 10 highest-paid CEOs collectively earned more than $1 billion in 2025. Four major corporations paid their CEOs over $100 million each last year. These companies included Blackstone, Broadcom, Goldman Sachs and Microsoft.
What changes are unions and activists demanding?
Labour groups and anti-poverty organisations said the findings show the global economic system increasingly benefits the wealthy while workers face growing financial pressure. Luc Triangle, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, accused large corporations of concentrating wealth among executives and billionaires, reported The Guardian.
“This analysis exposes the billionaire coup against democracy and its costs for working people,” Triangle said in a statement. “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,” he added.
Amitabh Behar also called for governments to take stronger action against inequality. “We can’t continue to let a handful of super-rich people siphon off the rewards of work that belong to millions,” Behar said.
He urged governments to place limits on CEO pay, increase taxes on the wealthy and ensure wages rise in line with inflation. “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,” he said.
Behar said such policies could help create fairer economies and reduce the growing divide between executives and ordinary workers. “These measures can do far more than redistribute income; they can create economies that reward work, invest in communities and hold powerful interests accountable,” he added.