Gold keeps an empire alive, but a great economy makes it unstoppable. A thriving treasury fuels expansion shapes global influence, and decides the pace of technological progress.
Wealth powers armies, funds infrastructure, and secures trade deals that keep an empire ahead of its rivals.
Whether it’s trade, conquest, diplomacy, or industry, some leaders treat gold as their greatest weapon, ensuring their civilization dominates through economic strength.
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Some leaders inCivilization 7stack gold passively, others squeeze it from their enemies, and a few build economies that scale into infinity. Some leaders fund massive infrastructure projects, turning cities into economic engines, while others weaponize wealth, controlling trade routes and crippling rivals.
A strong economy decides who rises and who falls. If you want an empire that never runs out of resources, these are the best economic powerhouses in Civ 7—each with a unique way to dominate the financial game.
10Pachacuti, Earth Shaker
The Riches Of The Mountains
Pachacuti’s economy thrives if you’ve got mountains, but that’s the problem—you need mountains.
His bonuses make cities grow fast, and specialist upkeep reductions help, but food doesn’t directly translate to gold here.
If you’re playing wide with a mountain-heavy empire, his economy stabilizes early and accumulates into solid district efficiency.
If youstart your gamein a low-mountain region, he’s outclassed. His economic strength is about sustainability, not raw wealth.
If you’re after a reliable, geography-dependent economy that scales into strong infrastructure, he’s fine. But if you want to swim in gold, well, not all mountains are made of gold.
9Augustus, Imperium Maius
For Glory And Gold
Augustus funds expansion—like his real-life counterpart—, making his economy more about building up cities efficiently than raking in raw gold.
He gets cheaper buildings in towns and better production scaling, so you’ll be developing fast—but his bonuses make wealth easier, not necessarily bigger.
That means he’s astrategic hidden gemfor infrastructure and setting up an economic powerhouse, but the money flow itself isn’t absurd.
His real economic strength comes from wide expansion—more towns, more gold-efficient buildings, and faster scaling.
If you want a sprawling empire that can buy its way into power, Augustus does the job. But pure economic dominance? Others do it better.
8Benjamin Franklin, The First American
Science, Industry, Profit
Franklin’s economy doesn’t revolve around stacking piles of gold—he’s a champion of efficiency. His industrial buffs make infrastructure faster, which means cities get economic upgrades quicker than anyone else.
He also pulls science out of production buildings, which helps in the long run but doesn’t immediately translate to gold in hand.
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He’s the leader for players who plan ahead—his economy isn’t flashy, but it’s smart, stacking long-term advantages that make your empire unstoppable in the late game.
If you want a well-oiled industrial powerhouse that builds its way into wealth, Franklin works. But other leaders have a more immediate effect on the health of your coffers.
7Machiavelli, Il Principe
Every Outcome Is A Win
Machiavelli makes gold from diplomatic manipulation, which means you don’t control your income—your enemies do.
If they accept your deals, you get gold. If they reject them, you get even more gold.
Either way, you’re winning, and playing ahistorically accurate economic war. The trick is knowing when to push leaders into a corner—he thrives on tension.
His ability to force economic decisions onto others makes him a wildcard powerhouse, but if diplomacy isn’t your strong suit, he falls apart.
If you like mind games and economic pressure, he’s fantastic. If you prefer a more direct route to wealth, he’s unpredictable but still viable. He has my vote for the most chaotic leader in the game, and I love it.
6Amina, Warrior Queen of Zazzau
More Resources, More Wealth
Amina’s economy is resource-driven, meaning it’s consistent but not explosive.
She gets passive gold generation per age based on resources assigned to cities, which means her wealth scales slowly but steadily.
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Extra resource capacity makes trading easier, and her plains/desert combat buffs help secure new economic zones. She’s not a gold machine, but she’s a stable, reliable choice.
She works best in a trade-heavy or resource-rich empire, where her bonuses stack up over time.
If you want constant, predictable income with zero risk, Amina’s solid. Slow and steady wins the race—but she might be too slow for you.
5Napoleon, The Emperor of France
Warfare Is Good Business
Napoleon’s economy feeds on conflict—sounds familiar.
He gets gold for being hostile, making him a diplomatic nightmare for rivals. If you like aggressive economic strategies, he’s incredible—trade route restrictions cripple opponents while his hostile leader gold bonus stacks fast.
Napoleon also gets to reject endeavors for free, saving influence while he saves gold, all the while forcing opponents to waste their own.His economic strategy is suffocating his enemies, not building wealth traditionally.
Hey, a predatory economy that thrives on aggressive diplomacy—asignificant power of colonization—and denial tactics works for some people—personally this is a really fun albeit chaotic way to play. But, if you want a peaceful trading empire, he’s the worst possible pick.
4Hatshepsut, God’s Wife of Amun
Trade Above All
Hatshepsut turns trade into an empire-wide economic engine, if you pick theright place to settle.
Every imported resource feeds her culture and gold, and if you settle near rivers, your economy explodes with wonder and building production buffs.
The more trade routes and resources you stack, the stronger she gets.
Her weakness, as you may have realized, is that she needs the right conditions. If you don’t have good trade partners or aren’t positioned for international exchange, she struggles—same as if you don’t have rivers.
If you manage to foster healthy trade with other empires, she’s unstoppable. A perfect pick for trade-focused economies, but if you’re isolated or lacking resources, she won’t reach her full potential.
3Xerxes, King of Kings
Conquest Pays
Xerxes makes war pay off. He gets an additional 10% gold in all settlements, doubled in conquered cities, making expansion an economic strategy.
The more land you take, the richer you get.His military buffs also mean he can sweep through enemy territories easily, funding his conquests through sheer income gains.
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His level two ability even ties commander XP to gold, making every battle a financial win. If you want a conquest-fueled economic empire, Xerxes is ridiculous.
Suppose your goal is a peaceful economy; he won’t do much for you. But if you’re able to set aside your morals and make war your business, he’ll make sure you’re rolling in gold.
2Isabella, Queen Of Spain
The Gold Standard
We all know the stories of Spanish gold, sunken galleons, armadas from South America—long story short, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Isabella is one of themost powerful leadersfor an economy-focused run.
Isabella’s economy is instant and powerful. Discovering natural wonders dumps gold into your treasury. Natural wonder tiles also get double yields, making them insanely valuable for wealth generation.
If you explore aggressively and find wonders early, she explodes into an economic juggernaut. She’s an accumulative leader—her economy starts strong and never stops growing.
The only downside applies if you don’t fancy yourself an explorer. If you don’t find wonders, her economic bonuses slow down.
Board your ships, dispatch your scouts, and see the world; Isabella’s economy is one of the fastest-growing in the game.
1Xerxes, The Achaemenid
Trade Runs The World—And So Do I
Xerxes builds an empire on trade, and once the gold starts flowing, it never stops.
Every trade route adds to his wealth, stacking culture and income with no ceiling in sight. His early-game networks snowball into a financial powerhouse, with unique buildings and improvements keeping the gold stream constant.
At level two, his routes fuel cultural dominance as well, making him just as influential as he is rich. Unlike leaders who rely on conquest or industry, his economy thrives without war.
If you want an empire that scales effortlessly, Xerxes is the leader to beat—nobody else makes trade this powerful.
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