CEO pay jumps 11% in 2025 while worker wages barely rise 0.5%, widening income inequality globally.

In 2025, CEO compensation rose 11% on average to $8.4 million, while typical worker wages increased only 0.5%, according to a report covering 1,500 top companies worldwide. In the U.S., CEO pay grew over 20 times faster than worker wages, with some CEOs earning over $100 million. This growing pay gap highlights increasing wealth concentration at the top, raising concerns about economic sustainability as consumer spending relies heavily on wealthy households. The report also noted that global real wages have fallen 12% since 2019, effectively amounting to unpaid labor for workers amid rising executive pay.