Women Control 38% of US Wealth by 2030: McKinsey

The landscape of American wealth is undergoing a profound transformation as women gain unprecedented control over financial resources. According to McKinsey research, women are projected to control approximately 38% of investable assets in the United States by 2030, representing nearly double last year’s total. This dramatic increase signals one of the most significant wealth shifts in modern financial history, with implications that extend across investment management, financial services, and philanthropic giving.

The scale of this transition was recently highlighted on ‘Bloomberg Businessweek Daily,’ where hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec discussed the economic implications with financial experts April Rudin and Nick Rice. The co-authors of the forthcoming book ‘Wealth Management with a Difference’ provided critical insights into how this wealth transfer is already beginning to reshape financial markets and service offerings. The conversation underscored that this isn’t merely a statistical trend but a fundamental reconfiguration of wealth ownership demographics.

The rapid growth in women-controlled assets is forcing a reevaluation of traditional wealth management approaches. As April Rudin and Nick Rice emphasized during their Bloomberg appearance, the financial services industry must adapt to meet the distinct preferences and priorities of women investors. Their upcoming publication, ‘Wealth Management with a Difference,’ aims to provide frameworks for addressing this evolving market dynamic, focusing on strategies that resonate with the growing cohort of female wealth holders.

This demographic shift requires more than superficial changes to marketing materials. Financial institutions are recognizing that women often approach investment decisions, risk assessment, and long-term planning differently than traditional male clients. The near-doubling of women’s control over investable assets within a decade represents both a substantial market opportunity and a mandate for industry transformation. Firms that successfully adapt to these changing client demographics stand to capture significant market share in the coming years.

The McKinsey projection of 38% control by 2030 underscores the urgency for wealth managers to develop specialized expertise in serving women investors. This isn’t a niche market anymore—it’s becoming central to the future of wealth management. The discussion on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily highlighted how forward-thinking firms are already restructuring their advisory services, educational resources, and investment products to align with this new reality.

Beyond wealth management, the increasing financial influence of women is expected to drive significant changes in philanthropic patterns and broader economic decision-making. As women control greater portions of investable assets, their preferences in charitable giving, impact investing, and values-aligned portfolios are likely to reshape how capital flows through the economy. The ‘Great Wealth Transfer’ extends beyond mere asset ownership to encompass how those assets are deployed for social and environmental purposes.

The insights shared by Rudin and Rice on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily suggest that this wealth transition will accelerate trends toward more strategic, measurable philanthropy and greater emphasis on sustainable investing. With women projected to control such a substantial portion of US investable assets, their investment philosophies and charitable priorities will increasingly influence corporate behavior, market trends, and social outcomes. This represents a fundamental shift in how wealth impacts society, moving beyond traditional patterns of wealth preservation to more purposeful capital allocation.

As the 2030 milestone approaches, the financial services industry, philanthropic organizations, and policymakers must prepare for a landscape where women’s financial decisions carry unprecedented weight. The transformation documented by McKinsey and discussed by industry experts on Bloomberg signals not just a change in who controls wealth, but potentially a redefinition of what wealth management means in practice. The coming years will test whether the financial industry can evolve quickly enough to meet the needs and aspirations of this powerful new generation of wealth holders.