The rise of emerging economies, particularly China and India, has lifted millions out of poverty, with middle-income consumers now outspending the top 10% for the first time. Yet inequality remains stark—and is worsening in important ways: wealth is increasingly concentrated at the very top, gaps within countries are widening, and AI threatens to complicate further progress in tech democratization.

This report explores key global shifts in earnings, spending power, and purchase priorities. It equips marketers to engage consumers across income segments in a changing economic environment, with updated insights into mindsets, lifestyles, tech adoption, and buying behaviors.