Only 36% of respondents believe political instability poses a direct threat to their future, reflecting how normalised such instability has become among the world’s wealthy. According to the World Citizenship Report 2026 by CS Global Partners, affluent individuals are rapidly adapting to a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical fragmentation, economic volatility, and growing uncertainty surrounding global institutions.
Rather than fearing geopolitical tensions, many high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are now focused on preparing for them. As part of that preparation, second citizenship is emerging as a critical tool.
Although nearly 80% of respondents currently hold only one citizenship, the report reveals a clear shift in mindset. Political instability is no longer treated as a temporary crisis, but as a new baseline expectation that requires long-term planning and protection.
Amidst the tensions in the Middle East, quality of life ranks as the top citizenship priority for 27% of people, suggesting that for the wealthy, the decision to seek a second citizenship is less about fleeing instability and more about securing a better life on their own terms.
“Survey respondents present as pragmatic optimists who still rank quality of life as their top citizenship priority at 27.3%,” WCR 2026 noted.
People losing confidence in their current citizenship
The report also highlights a growing decline in confidence in existing citizenship structures. Around 27% of respondents said they feel uncertain or lack confidence that their current citizenship will continue to provide the same level of security and opportunity over the next decade.
While approximately 33% of respondents expressed confidence in their current citizenship, the report found that even this group increasingly views second citizenship as an essential safeguard for the future.
“Even those who feel relatively secure treat second citizenship as an important portfolio diversifier insurance rather than a ‘last resort’ insurance,” the report stated.
For many respondents, concerns stem from what they perceive as limited economic opportunities, restricted access to high-quality healthcare, and declining educational prospects in their home countries.
“The era of assuming a home-country passport delivers steady security and opportunity has begun to fade for the mass affluent,” the report added.
Second Citizenship is more than an escape
As HNWIs increasingly focus on preparing for uncertainty, second citizenship in 2026 has evolved far beyond being simply an escape route. It is now viewed as a pathway to securing a higher quality of life, ranking ahead of financial and career opportunities, while freedom of movement follows as another major consideration.
HNWIs also expressed growing confidence in second citizenship as a tool for family security and generational protection. Emergency planning for geopolitical and economic instability ranked among the key motivations, alongside asset and estate protection.
Factors behind these shifts
WCR 2026 has put a spotlight on the factors that have driven these shifts in the mindset of the HNWIs. In the report, it is mentioned that the Covid-19 pandemic was the turning point. Lockdowns, border closures, and supply chain breakdowns exposed how fragile single-jurisdiction lives had become. For HNWIs, it was a wake-up call that permanent residency in one country was no longer enough.
The trend deepened further as 2024 became the largest global election year in history, with more than half of the world’s population voting. The outcomes revealed deepening political fragmentation across Europe and rapid policy shifts in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The second Trump administration’s 2025 tariff regime, with broad reciprocal duties and targeted hikes, created significant disruption across global trade and investment planning. For wealthy individuals already rethinking their citizenship strategy, it only accelerated the process.
“The calculus has changed for the mass affluent who skew younger, family-oriented, and globally mobile. Pre-Covid citizenship centred on cultural belonging and legal rights; today it operates as a strategic asset,” the report added.
Before Covid-19, citizenship was largely associated with cultural identity and legal rights. Today, for the world’s mass affluent, it has become an instrument of strategic planning and long-term security.
The World Citizenship Report 2026 captures this transformation clearly. Political instability has not disappeared as a concern. Instead, it has stopped being viewed as an alarm and has become an assumption. For the world’s wealthy, preparation is now seen as the only logical response.
