By Trisha Medhi
Copyright yourstory
Indian entrepreneurs are spending more aggressively than their global counterparts on luxury lifestyles, wellness, and international mobility, driven by optimism about wealth creation and global opportunities.
According to HSBC’s Global Entrepreneurial Wealth Report 2025, 64% of Indian entrepreneurs allocate wealth towards real estate for personal use, compared to a global average of 53%. Similarly, 61% prioritise health, wellness, and longevity, versus 50% globally.
Nearly six in ten (59%) spend on luxury experiences such as travel, fine dining, and lifestyle indulgences—outpacing the global average of 50%.
These patterns echo findings from the Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Wealth Report 2025, which highlighted that more than 60% of Indian millionaires rate their happiness at 8 or above on a 10-point scale, despite modest consumption compared to wealthy individuals in developed markets.
The Hurun report highlighted that travel topped their spending preferences—chosen by 45% of respondents—followed by reading, cooking, and fitness activities, such as yoga (27%). Traditional luxury items like cars, diamonds, and watches rank lower, signalling a decisive shift from conspicuous consumption to meaningful experiences.
“Indian entrepreneurs are redefining the global playbook,” said Sandeep Batra, Head of International Wealth and Premier Banking at HSBC India. “Their investments in wellness, experiences, and global mobility reflect not just confidence in their wealth, but a desire to live fully.”
Confidence in wealth growth
Optimism runs high among India’s wealthy founders. The HSBC report said that 95% expect their wealth to grow in the coming years, where 56% foresee significant growth and 39% expect moderate expansion—driven by opportunities for new ventures (64%), strong investment portfolio performance (56%), a positive local economic outlook (54%), and business growth (43%).
Global mobility and investment patterns
Indian entrepreneurs also lead in cross-border mobility in search of quality of life (78%), new investment opportunities (75%), and market expansion (71%).
About 73% hold multi-residency status compared with the global average of 56%, with the UK and US being the most popular destinations, followed by Switzerland, the UAE, and Singapore.
However, managing businesses abroad (50%), visa and residency complexities (49%), cross-border property acquisition (48%), and succession planning (64%) were some of the challenges faced by the entrepreneurs, the report said.
Meanwhile, the report found that Indian entrepreneurs have diverse investment portfolios, where 73% invest in life insurance, 58% in real estate, including commercial property, 53% in listed equities, and 51% in private assets. Charitable donations are also a priority for 42% of respondents, reflecting a commitment to social responsibility alongside wealth creation.
Despite rising wealth, most Indian millionaires report annual household consumption under Rs 1 crore.
Millionaire households have grown nearly 90% since 2021, reaching 8.71 lakh in 2025. However, ultra-high-net-worth individuals remain rare: only 5% of millionaires have crossed the $12 million threshold, and India currently hosts 360 billionaire households.
(Edited by Suman Singh)
