The publication of the Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2026 offers more than an insight into how the world's wealthiest individuals are spending their money. While headlines often focus on the rising cost of luxury goods, international education and premium travel, the report also reflects broader trends that are reshaping how globally mobile individuals organise their wealth, manage liquidity and finance property acquisitions.

For private bankers, wealth managers and specialist finance advisers, perhaps the most important message is not about lifestyle expenditure at all.

It is about the increasing complexity of international wealth.

Today's high-net-worth clients are less likely than ever to have their income, assets, investments and property holdings located within a single country. Instead, wealth is becoming increasingly international. Entrepreneurs may operate businesses across several jurisdictions, executives receive remuneration in multiple currencies, investment portfolios span global markets, and families often own residential or investment property in several countries simultaneously.

This evolution is changing the way borrowing decisions are made.

Rather than viewing mortgages, Lombard lending, commercial finance and property acquisition as isolated transactions, internationally mobile clients increasingly require integrated funding strategies that consider currency exposure, tax residence, asset location, liquidity planning and long-term wealth preservation.

The Julius Baer report reinforces that this joined-up approach is becoming progressively more important.

Global Wealth Is Becoming Increasingly Mobile

International wealth has never been more geographically diverse.

Business owners relocate to expand internationally. Professionals accept overseas assignments. Families acquire second homes or establish residences in multiple countries. Investors diversify across jurisdictions to reduce concentration risk, while many entrepreneurs retain significant business interests in one country while living in another.

These developments create opportunities, but they also introduce financial complexity.

A client may earn US dollars, own investment portfolios denominated in Swiss francs, receive dividends in euros, hold commercial property in the United Kingdom and purchase residential property in Portugal.

Viewed individually, each asset may be straightforward.

Taken together, however, they require careful coordination.

Borrowing decisions become influenced by factors extending well beyond interest rates or loan-to-value ratios.

Private banks increasingly evaluate global balance sheets rather than individual assets in isolation.

Currency Matters More Than Many Borrowers Appreciate

One of the strongest underlying themes within the Julius Baer report is the continued importance of currency.

Exchange rates influence purchasing power, investment returns and international wealth preservation. They also play a significant role in borrowing.

Many internationally mobile borrowers naturally focus on obtaining the lowest available interest rate.

Yet borrowing in the wrong currency can ultimately prove considerably more expensive than paying a slightly higher rate in a currency that better aligns with income or assets.

Currency mismatches represent one of the most common risks facing international borrowers.

For example, purchasing a UK property with sterling borrowing while receiving income entirely in US dollars introduces ongoing exchange-rate exposure.

If sterling strengthens materially against the dollar, mortgage repayments effectively become more expensive without the interest rate changing at all.

The same principle applies across euros, Swiss francs, UAE dirhams, Singapore dollars and many other currencies commonly associated with internationally mobile clients.

Sophisticated borrowers therefore consider not only borrowing costs but also how liabilities align with future income streams.

Private banks frequently structure facilities with currency management firmly in mind.

Liquidity Often Creates More Opportunities Than Cash

Many affluent individuals have substantial wealth but relatively modest cash balances.

This is rarely accidental.

Capital may be invested in businesses, investment portfolios, private equity, commercial real estate or long-term investment strategies designed to generate future returns.

Selling those assets simply to purchase property can be both tax inefficient and strategically undesirable.

Instead, many private banking clients use borrowing as a liquidity management tool.

Securities-backed lending, often referred to as Lombard lending, allows investment portfolios to support borrowing while remaining invested.

Similarly, structured lending can combine multiple asset classes—including listed investments, commercial property, residential property and business interests—to provide flexible access to capital.

The objective is not to maximise debt.

Rather, it is to preserve long-term investment strategies while creating liquidity when opportunities arise.

For internationally mobile families, this flexibility can prove particularly valuable where acquisitions must complete quickly or assets are located across several jurisdictions.

Property Ownership Has Become International

The traditional assumption that individuals purchase property only within their country of residence no longer reflects reality.

Many clients now own homes in multiple countries.

Some retain former family homes after relocating overseas.

Others purchase investment property where yields remain attractive while maintaining primary residences elsewhere.

Children studying abroad often require accommodation.

Retirement planning may involve future homes in different jurisdictions.

Each acquisition introduces additional considerations.

• Mortgage availability varies significantly between countries.
• Local lending regulations differ.
• Taxation changes according to residency status.
• Foreign exchange movements affect affordability.
• Inheritance planning becomes more complex.

Financing strategies therefore need to consider the wider picture rather than focusing solely on the next purchase.

Tax Residence Influences Financing Strategy

One of the most misunderstood aspects of international borrowing is the distinction between nationality and tax residence.

Lenders are often considerably more interested in where clients are tax resident than where they hold citizenship.

Tax residency affects income assessment, regulatory requirements, anti-money laundering obligations, documentation standards and sometimes the availability of lending itself.

Changes in residency can also influence how investment income is treated, how assets are structured and how future borrowing is assessed.

For internationally mobile families, financing should ideally be reviewed whenever residency changes rather than simply when a new property is purchased.

Early planning frequently provides greater flexibility than attempting to restructure borrowing after relocation.

Collateral Is Becoming Increasingly Important

Private banking has expanded significantly beyond traditional residential mortgages.

Many lenders now assess a client's overall wealth position when structuring borrowing facilities.

Investment portfolios, listed securities, commercial assets, private businesses and cash deposits may all contribute towards overall borrowing capacity.

However, not all collateral is treated equally.

Diversified investment portfolios generally attract stronger lending terms than concentrated shareholdings.

Liquid assets typically support higher advance rates than illiquid investments.

Private banks also consider jurisdiction, custody arrangements, investment composition and overall relationship value.

Understanding these factors before seeking finance often leads to better outcomes than approaching lenders after identifying a property.

International Borrowing Is Increasingly Relationship Driven

Unlike many high-street lenders, private banks rarely view borrowing as a single transaction.

Instead, lending forms part of a broader client relationship.

Investment management, foreign exchange services, wealth planning, banking facilities and lending frequently operate together.

For internationally mobile clients, this integrated approach can provide considerable advantages.

Borrowing decisions may incorporate future liquidity events, business sales, investment income, trust structures and family governance.

Facilities can sometimes be adjusted as circumstances evolve rather than requiring entirely new applications.

The result is greater flexibility throughout changing life stages.

Geopolitical Uncertainty Reinforces The Need For Flexibility

The Julius Baer report also highlights ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and the continued importance of resilience.

Political change, economic policy, inflation expectations and international market volatility all influence wealth planning.

Few of these factors can be predicted with certainty.

What can be controlled is financial flexibility.

Clients with diversified assets, multiple funding options and access to established liquidity facilities are generally better positioned to respond when opportunities or unexpected challenges emerge.

Whether funding a business acquisition, purchasing overseas property or supporting intergenerational wealth transfer, flexibility increasingly represents a competitive advantage rather than simply a financial convenience.

Joined-Up Advice Delivers Better Outcomes

International finance rarely fits neatly into individual disciplines.

Mortgage advice alone may overlook tax considerations.

Investment advice alone may not optimise borrowing structures.

Legal advice alone may not address liquidity planning.

Increasingly, successful outcomes depend upon collaboration between private bankers, wealth managers, tax advisers, accountants, lawyers and specialist finance advisers.

This coordinated approach helps ensure that financing supports wider wealth objectives rather than conflicting with them.

For example, a property acquisition funded through carefully structured borrowing may preserve investment portfolios, reduce unnecessary foreign exchange costs, maintain succession planning objectives and improve overall liquidity simultaneously.

Viewed collectively, these outcomes often deliver greater long-term value than simply obtaining the lowest available mortgage rate.

Looking Beyond Property Finance

The Julius Baer Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2026 ultimately reflects a broader transformation taking place within international wealth.

Affluent individuals are becoming more geographically mobile. Their assets are increasingly international. Income sources are more diverse.

Investment portfolios span multiple currencies, and families frequently maintain financial interests across several jurisdictions.

As wealth becomes more global, borrowing strategies must evolve alongside it.

Property finance is no longer simply about funding the purchase of a home. It has become an integral component of international wealth management, influencing liquidity, investment strategy, currency exposure and long-term financial resilience.

For high-net-worth individuals, expatriates, foreign nationals and globally mobile families, the most effective financing solutions are rarely those considered in isolation. They are those designed as part of a coordinated wealth strategy that aligns borrowing with assets, income, currency exposure, tax residency and future objectives.

The latest Julius Baer report serves as a timely reminder that in an increasingly connected world, successful wealth management depends not only on growing assets, but on ensuring every element of a client's financial affairs works together. For internationally mobile borrowers, that means treating property finance as a strategic tool within a much broader framework of global wealth planning, rather than simply a means of purchasing real estate.