What if we could fairly distribute all the cash on Earth? This is an interesting exercise that can help us understand the scale of the global economy and the actual material resources available to humanity. The answer to this question reveals a surprising number, which can be both astonishing and disappointing.

How to determine the global monetary base

In order to conduct such analysis, experts use the concept of money supply M2. This is not just the cash in wallets and cash boxes, but a broader indicator that encompasses global cash circulation as well as highly liquid bank deposits. This includes savings accounts, deposits with a term of no more than two years, and settlement accounts that can be withdrawn with notice within three months.

The money supply M2 significantly differs from total global wealth. Why? Because when calculating wealth, real estate, business assets, and other assets are also considered, which, although valuable, cannot be quickly converted to cash. M2 is the portion that can be relatively quickly converted into cash.

123.3 trillion dollars distributed to everyone

Economic experts at CEIC have gathered the latest data on the total global money supply. According to their calculations, the global money supply M2 reached $123.313 trillion in 2024. This is a staggering figure representing all the 'liquid' funds that can be mobilized in the global economy.

Currently, the global population is approximately 816 million people. If all this money were evenly distributed among every resident of the Earth, from farmers to doctors, from urban dwellers to rural residents, each person would receive about $15,108, which is approximately €13,944.28.

Purchasing power of the global population

This is a decent amount below the standards of many countries. According to analysts from VisualCapitalist's analysis of these figures, such an amount is enough to cover the expenses of an average family for two years. Or, as analysts ironically yet aptly put it, everyone could buy a new Dacia Sandero, a popular economy car.

Spain: Higher per capita income

Interestingly, let's take a look at how these calculations perform at the regional level. If we focus on Spain, the situation is different. According to CEIC data from December 2024, the money supply M2 in the Spanish economy reached $1.648 trillion.

According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) of Spain for January 2025, the country's population is 49.08 million. If distributed this way, each Spaniard would receive $33,571.29, which is approximately €30,967.97. This is more than double the global average, reflecting Spain's higher level of economic development and more concentrated capital among developed European countries.

These calculations visually demonstrate the profound inequalities in global resource distribution and how monetary policies in various countries affect the living standards of their citizens.