Zara Founder Ortega Leads Ultra-Rich’s Push Into $1 Trillion Property Market

Zara founder Amancio Ortega as well as other ultra-rich individuals and their investment firms are tightening their grip on the $1 trillion market for commercial real estate as institutional investors lag behind.

Ortega, Spain’s richest man, expanded his global portfolio of commercial real estate last year, acquiring at least 10 properties across North America and Europe for more than $1.5 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. His wealthy counterparts are similarly retaining their focus on the asset class, fueling a record $464 billion of private capital deployed last year into the market for offices, logistics sites and rental housing, broker Knight Frank said in its 2026 wealth report.