Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and one of the most influential philanthropists in the world, has dropped out of the top 10 richest persons globally after his net worth fell by $52 billion in just seven days, largely due to planned charitable donations. As of July 8, 2025, Gates’ net worth stands at $124 billion.
Bill Gates, co-founder of tech giant Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has dropped out of the top 10 richest individuals in the world after losing a staggering $52 billion in a single week. As per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gates’ net worth fell to $124 billion as of July 8, down from $172 billion just a week earlier.
This significant drop pushed Gates to the 12th position, marking a rare exit from the billionaire elite club he once dominated. His loss comes despite holding an estimated 1% stake in Microsoft and having received over $60 billion in stock and dividends.
The primary reason behind the decline is his own commitment to philanthropy. In a May 2025 blog post, Gates stated that he intended to donate the majority of his fortune, estimating that the Gates Foundation would spend $200 billion before ceasing operations by 2045. This plan has accelerated with significant transfers of wealth to support global health, education, and poverty alleviation.
“On the occasion of its 25th year, the Gates Foundation today made a new commitment to accelerate its mission…,” Gates wrote, underlining the Foundation’s goal to sunset its operations within two decades.
Adding to the drama, Gates was overtaken by Steve Ballmer, his former colleague and ex-CEO of Microsoft. Ballmer now occupies the 5th spot with a net worth of $172 billion, largely due to Microsoft’s surging stock price and his significant shareholding.
Top 10 Richest Individuals (As of July 8, 2025):
- Elon Musk – $361 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg – $254 billion
- Larry Ellison – $253 billion
- Jeff Bezos – $244 billion
- Steve Ballmer – $172 billion
- Larry Page – $163 billion
- Bernard Arnault – $161 billion
- Sergey Brin – $152 billion
- Warren Buffett – $146 billion
- Jensen Huang – $139 billion
Despite the financial dip, Gates continues to shape global impact through his foundation’s initiatives, reinforcing his identity as one of the world’s foremost philanthropists.
