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Overview
Global dividends made a positive start to 2026, rising 8.2% on a topline basis to a first quarter record of $419.0 billion, slightly ahead of our expectations. This means they have more than doubled in just ten years, supported by rising company earnings and a broadening culture of dividend-paying. The topline total was boosted by exchange rates and larger one-off special dividends (see Finding the core growth rate section); the more important core growth rate was 5.2% yearon-year, in line with the median growth rate at company level.
The first quarter marks the seasonal low point for dividends, typically accounting for just over one-sixth of the annual total. Japan and most of Asia, much of Europe and some emerging markets see relatively few payouts compared to their peak seasons. By contrast, distributions in the US and Canada follow a very even quarterly sequence, which means they exert a disproportionate influence in Q1. This pattern also means that a few companies in some geographies can easily dominate the local picture during the quarter – we pick this up in the Regional trends section. Among regions making a larger Q1 contribution, the fastest growth came from Australia, India, the US and Canada, while the UK, Europe (where even in a quiet season, dividends are still large) and China lagged behind.
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