Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates holds roughly $138 billion in 2026, with his wealth anchored in a diversified portfolio managed by Cascade Investment LLC spanning Caterpillar, Canadian National Rail, and Four Seasons Hotels rather than Microsoft stock alone. Gates donated over $60 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has saved an estimated 6 million lives through polio eradication, malaria prevention, and global vaccine access programs in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. His philanthropic efforts have outpaced the typical philanthropist, who donates on average 5% of their wealth, with Gates donating over 43% of his net worth to charity.