Sunday, July 13, 2025 - Bill Gates’ fortune has dropped a staggering $51 billion in just days as he accelerates his charitable giving, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.
Once the world’s richest man, Gates now ranks 12th on the
index, with his net worth falling to $124 billion from $175 billion earlier
this month. Among those who have surpassed him is his former Microsoft
colleague, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, now the world’s
fifth-richest person with $173 billion. Tesla founder Elon Musk tops the list
at $360 billion.
Gates’ shrinking wealth is largely due to his pledge not to
die rich. In May, he revealed plans to give away 99% of his fortune over the
next two decades, with the Gates Foundation—created with his former wife
Melinda—set to close on December 31, 2045.
“People will say a lot of things
about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of
them,” Gates wrote in a recent blog post.
“There are too many urgent
problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help
people.”
He said the decision was influenced by witnessing his
foundation’s impact in delivering vaccines for treatable illnesses like
diarrhea and pneumonia, which continue to claim lives in poorer countries. It
also comes at a time when the U.S. and Europe have reduced foreign aid amid
global conflicts.
Despite his diminishing net worth, Gates remains firm in his
commitment. As of the latest estimate, his fortune had slipped further to
around $123 billion.
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