A new billionaire class is supercharging superyachts
Courtesy of Feadship
- Today's superyacht owners are younger than ever, and with that comes a different set of priorities, a new report found.
- They are buying bigger, more technologically advanced, and more sustainable superyachts.
- Overall, the superyacht industry grew last year — in terms of dollars and meters.
A surge in stock and AI wealth is swelling the ranks of billionaires, and with them comes a growing appetite for a favorite status symbol: superyachts.
Sales of preowned superyachts — which make up the majority of those sold — reached $6.4 billion in 2025, up 36% from 2024, according to a new report by yacht brokerage Fraser Yachts. The number of new superyachts, those measuring over 30 meters in length, sold increased 6%.
Long the domain of retirees and empty nesters, super yachting is attracting a younger crowd, hailing from industries like tech, and with their families in tow.
"There was this trajectory where you grew into large yacht ownership through a succession of smaller yachts, and now we see people leapfrogging that," Anders Kurtén, the CEO of Fraser Yachts, told Business Insider. "It's not uncommon today that somebody who's in their 40s buying their first yacht goes directly to a 50 or 60 meter yacht."
Younger buyers have different priorities. They want bigger yachts — the number of new yachts over 80 meters increased from 13 to 19 last year — that are more sustainable and technologically advanced.
"They want a seamless continuation of their on-shore lifestyle onboard," Kurtén said.
That includes entertainment for the kids — whether that comes in the form of waterslides and wakeboards or an on-board cinema — and the ability to WFY — work from yacht.
"You can run a board meeting for a publicly listed company from the conference room on your yacht," Kurtén said.
The priciest superyacht of the year, named Breakthrough, underscores the market's shift.
Sold in September with a last asking price of $793 million, the superyacht measures 119 meters and is available to charter at a starting price of $4 million a week. It boasts luxury features such as a tennis court, a helipad, and an infinity pool, as well as toys, including waterskis, inflatable kayaks, and paddle boards.
The pièce de résistance of Breakthrough's design lies in its engineering. It's the first superyacht powered by hydrogen fuel cells, meaning it can cruise emission-free.
"The proportion of those for whom it is actually important is increasing," Kurtén said of owners' views around sustainability.
While priorities may shift, superyacht demand shows no signs of slowing.
The global ultrawealthy population is expected to increase by 31% between 2025 and 2030, according to the 2025 World Ultra Wealth Report from wealth intelligence firm Altrata. That would translate to an estimated 166,160 people who could join the superyacht market, whether as charterers or owners, according to the Fraser report.
"They tend to like to affiliate with each other," Kurtén said of the uberwealthy, pointing to superyachts that flock to St. Barts around New Year's. "That certainly creates a little bit of positive pressure for our industry."