Bill Gates, the billionaire tech pioneer and co-founder of Microsoft, has unveiled an ambitious plan to give away the entirety of his fortune within the next two decades.
In a reflective essay published on his personal blog, Gates announced that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations, will officially shut down on December 31, 2045. This marks the final phase of what he calls the “last chapter” of his career.
According to Forbes, Gates is currently worth an estimated $113.8 billion at age 69. However, he estimates his net worth at $108 billion, a fortune he now intends to spend entirely on global development and humanitarian causes. Though not entirely unexpected given Gates’ history of philanthropy, the move signals a dramatic acceleration in the timeline and scale of his giving.
Gates shared that this decision follows a period of deep introspection and strategic reassessment. The Gates Foundation was initially structured to exist for several decades after its founders’ deaths. However, Gates believes the foundation can and should complete its mission much sooner. “By fast-tracking our efforts and increasing our annual contributions, we can maximize impact and give our partners the confidence to plan for long-term success,” he noted.
The Gates Foundation, launched in 2000 alongside his former wife Melinda French Gates, has already disbursed over $100 billion to initiatives focused on global health, education, agriculture, sanitation, climate change, and poverty alleviation. Much of this progress has been made possible by fellow philanthropist Warren Buffett, who has donated billions to the foundation over the years.
Gates’ revised vision includes doubling the foundation’s giving over the next 20 years. While the exact figures will vary depending on economic conditions, Gates expects the foundation to distribute more than $200 billion between now and its planned sunset in 2045. This amount includes the remaining balance of the foundation’s endowment as well as Gates’ future personal contributions.
The announcement coincides with a symbolic milestone: Microsoft will turn 50 in 2025. For Gates, this half-century mark offers a natural moment to step away from wealth accumulation and double down on purpose-driven legacy building. “It feels right to celebrate the company that changed my life by giving back everything I earned from it,” he said.
Though Gates is stepping away from the world of wealth, he isn’t walking away from influence. By charting a defined end date for the Gates Foundation and committing every dollar of his fortune to causes that improve life across the globe, he is setting a new standard for legacy-focused philanthropy. This model diverges from the traditional perpetual endowment model followed by many large charities, signaling a shift toward urgency, measurable impact, and sunset-based philanthropy.
Beyond the numbers, Gates’ decision reinforces a belief that private wealth, when thoughtfully deployed, can help solve some of the world’s toughest challenges. His final mission may be his most consequential, whether through vaccines, education, food security, or clean energy innovation.
As Gates concludes his decades-long career in innovation and philanthropy, he seems determined to leave not just a legacy of wealth but also of impact. His closing statement sums it up simply: “I’ve come a long way since starting Microsoft with a childhood friend. Now, it’s time to give the rest of the way forward.”
