Economy

Allianz Ranks Taiwan Fifth in Global Personal Wealth as Stocks Surge

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By Eason Chen/Shir Bashi/Yvonne Yang

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Taiwan’s AI-driven stock surge has pushed its net individual assets to fifth globally at around US$185,000 per person, according to German asset manager Allianz. Yet many locals say the gains on paper have not transformed daily life.

The AI boom has not just lifted Taiwan’s economy, it’s also sent the local stock market soaring. And that means investors’ portfolios are growing. A new report by German asset manager Allianz now ranks Taiwan fifth in the world when it comes to individual net assets, at about 185 thousand US dollars per person. But do people here feel any richer?

MAN NO. 1 (VOX POP):
“I think the money is still sitting in people's accounts or in stocks. So whether people really feel richer I don’t think so.”

MAN NO. 2 (VOX POP):
“Maybe a few friends have retired early because of this boom. I've seen it happen. I have friends whose lives have changed because of profits from investing. But not my family. (Has that affected you?) Not really. I'm just envious.”

Economists also caution against making too much of the rising stock prices.

DACHRAHN WU, ECONOMICS PROFESSOR NATIONAL CENTRAL UNIVERSITY:
“Even if you don't make any changes when stock prices rise the value of your securities automatically goes up. If the stock market sees a major correction the value of those securities will decline.”

But any potential decline isn’t here yet. The Taiwan stock index closed Friday at a record high of almost 48,500 points. For now, people’s wealth is set to keep growing... at least on paper.

Eason Chen, Shir Bashi and Yvonne Yang for TaiwanPlus.