The Bloomberg Billionaires Index updated its ledger on July 13 and wiped $51 billion off Bill Gates’ fortune in a single stroke. One week earlier, he sat on an estimated $175 billion; the revision puts him near $124 billion, nudging him down to twelfth place globally. The plunge isn’t the result of bad bets or a Microsoft sell-off gone wrong. Instead, it reflects Gates’ plan to empty his pockets long before the undertaker knocks. In a May blog post, he vowed that no obituary would say he “died rich,” and he gave his foundation a deadline of 31 December 2045 to distribute almost everything he owns.Bloomberg simply caught up with how aggressively those transfers have already begun. So while headlines shout “loss,” Gates sees progress toward a promise that reshapes both the billionaire rankings and the future cash flow of the world’s largest private charity.

Between 3 July and 10 July, Gates’ listed wealth slid from $175 billion to $124 billion, a 29 percent haircut. Most of the shift comes from updated accounting of shares he has already earmarked—or outright transferred—to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and related philanthropic vehicles. Because he still holds about 3.5 percent of Microsoft through personal and family trusts, day-to-day market moves matter, but the big swing this month is bookkeeping catching up with his give-away schedule.

(Rounded figures; source – Bloomberg Billionaires Index)

In a May 8 essay, Gates wrote, “There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold on to resources that could be used to help people.” He set a 20-year window to donate at least 99 percent of his remaining assets and to wind down the foundation by 2045. The commitment formalises what observers have called “the long goodbye” to his billionaire status—only now the timeline is public and the pace is accelerating.

Since 2000, the organisation has granted more than $100 billion and still holds an endowment of $77 billion, even after the latest transfers.

Gates’ slide pushed him below former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, now worth about $173 billion and sitting in fifth place. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk still dominate the top slots. Analysts note the rankings may yo-yo as Gates continues to vest shares or as Microsoft’s price wiggles, but the directional trend is clear: philanthropy is winning the tug-of-war with personal net worth.

The 69-year-old argues that capital stuck in a brokerage account is “opportunity cost incarnate.” He points to stalled humanitarian progress—especially cuts in Western foreign-aid budgets—and insists private capital must fill the gap. Critics worry about outsized influence from one donor, yet even they acknowledge his cash is now the lifeblood of several global-health campaigns once bankrolled by governments.

1. How much is Bill Gates worth after the $51 billion drop?

2. Did Microsoft’s stock crash cause the decline?

3. What is his timeline for giving away 99 % of his fortune?

4. How much has the Gates Foundation donated so far?

5. Could Gates fall out of the billionaire ranks entirely?

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