In January 2000, Bill Gates stepped down as Microsoft’s CEO — a moment many predicted would mark the beginning of his decline from the world’s richest man. Instead, what followed was one of the most remarkable reinventions in history: a former college dropout who once wrote code on a tiny screen in Albuquerque transformed into the world’s most ambitious philanthropist, a global health crusader, and a tech investor still shaping the future of artificial intelligence. As of 2026, Bill Gates’ net worth is estimated at approximately $130 billion, making him consistently one of the five wealthiest people on earth.
Bill Gates Quick Facts
| Full Name | William Henry Gates III |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 28, 1955 |
| Age | 70 years old (2026) |
| Birthplace | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Businessman, Software Developer, Philanthropist |
| Net Worth | $130 Billion (2026) |
| Companies | Microsoft (co-founder), Gates Ventures, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Education | Harvard University (dropped out 1975) |
| Known For | Co-founding Microsoft, Windows OS, global philanthropy |
Early Life and Education
William Henry Gates III was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, to William H. Gates Sr., a prominent attorney, and Mary Maxwell Gates, a schoolteacher who later served on the board of several companies including First Interstate Bank. Gates was the second of three children and grew up in an upper-middle-class household that valued intellectual curiosity and academic achievement.
At age 13, Gates enrolled at the exclusive Lakeside School in Seattle, where he encountered his first computer terminal — a GE time-sharing computer — and was immediately transfixed. He spent most of his free time programming, often skipping classes to work on the computer. His early programs included a tic-tac-toe game that played against human users. By 15, he and his friend Paul Allen had written a traffic-analysis program called Traf-O-Data, which earned them $20,000.
Gates enrolled at Harvard University in 1973, initially pursuing pre-law. But computing consumed him. He spent far more time in the computer lab than in classes and famously could be found playing poker late into the night. When Paul Allen showed him an article in Popular Electronics magazine about the Altair 8800 microcomputer kit in January 1975, Gates called the manufacturer (MITS) and claimed he and Allen had a working BASIC interpreter for it — even though they hadn’t written a line of code. When MITS accepted their pitch, Gates and Allen built the interpreter in eight weeks, working around the clock. Gates dropped out of Harvard at 19 to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and co-found Microsoft.
Microsoft: The Career That Defined a Generation
Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in April 1975 in Albuquerque, initially to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for microcomputers. The company moved to Bellevue, Washington in 1979, and the critical moment came in 1980 when IBM approached Microsoft to provide an operating system for its new personal computer.
Gates didn’t have an operating system, but he knew where to get one. He purchased QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) from Seattle Computer Products for $75,000, renamed it MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System), licensed it to IBM — and crucially, retained the rights to license it to other manufacturers. This single decision may be the most valuable business move in tech history. As the IBM PC became the standard business computer and dozens of manufacturers cloned it, every one of them needed MS-DOS, and Microsoft collected a royalty on every machine sold.
Microsoft went public in 1986 at $21 per share, instantly making Gates a paper billionaire at 31 — the youngest person ever to reach that milestone at the time. The subsequent success of Windows (launched 1985), Microsoft Office (1989), Windows 95 (one of the most celebrated software launches in history), Internet Explorer, and Windows XP cemented Microsoft as the most valuable company in the world by the late 1990s. At its peak in December 1999, Gates’ net worth briefly touched $100 billion — the first person in modern history to achieve that figure.
Net Worth and Income Sources
Despite stepping back from Microsoft’s leadership in 2000 and beginning to sell his Microsoft shares, Gates has managed to grow — or at least maintain — his net worth through a diversified portfolio of investments managed through his Cascade Investment vehicle and Gates Ventures.
| Income Source | Estimated Value | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Investment portfolio | $50-60B | Cumulative | Vast diversified portfolio: Canadian National Railway, John Deere, waste management, hospitality, real estate |
| Microsoft stock holdings | ~$8-10B (2026) | Cumulative | Gates has sold most of his Microsoft shares but retains a smaller position |
| Breakthrough Energy Ventures | $2B+ invested | Cumulative | Clean energy fund backing companies solving climate change |
| TerraPower | Privately held | Cumulative | Gates’ nuclear energy company developing next-gen reactors |
| Investment returns (annual) | $5-10B/year | Annual (personal) | Returns from the Cascade portfolio; reinvested or donated |
| Philanthropy (Gates Foundation) | $8-10B/year given away | Annual (personal) | Gates Foundation is the world’s largest private charitable foundation with $70B+ endowment |
| Total Net Worth | ~$130 Billion (2026) — after $60B+ in charitable giving | ||
Net Worth Over Time
Gates’ wealth trajectory tells the story of both staggering accumulation and staggering generosity. He first became a billionaire at 31 in 1987. By 1995, he was the world’s richest person — a title he would hold for the majority of the next 25 years. His peak Microsoft-era wealth touched $100 billion in December 1999. In 2006 he announced the Giving Pledge alongside Warren Buffett, committing to donate 95%+ of his fortune. By 2022 he had given away over $50 billion, yet his net worth remained near $100 billion due to investment returns. As of 2026, despite donations exceeding $60 billion, Gates’ net worth stands at approximately $130 billion — testament to the returns generated by Cascade Investment.
Personal Life and Relationships
Bill Gates married Melinda French in 1994 on a private island in Hawaii. Together they had three children: Jennifer (born 1996), Rory (born 1999), and Phoebe (born 2002). The couple co-chaired the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for 27 years before announcing their divorce in May 2021 after 27 years of marriage. Melinda retained billions in Gates Foundation assets and the foundation continues to operate. Gates has been reported to be in a relationship in the years since the divorce.
Outside work, Gates is a voracious reader (he publishes an annual summer reading list), a passionate bridge player, a private pilot, and a keen tennis player. He is known for his “Think Weeks” — twice-yearly solo retreats to a remote cabin where he reads academic papers and thought pieces to think about the future. His daughter Jennifer married Nayel Nassar, an Olympic equestrian, in 2022.
Awards, Recognition and Legacy
Bill Gates has received honorary degrees from dozens of universities, including Cambridge, Harvard (where he finally accepted his honorary doctorate in 2007, 32 years after dropping out), and Peking University. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. Together with Melinda, he received an honorary knighthood from the British government in 2005. Time magazine named Gates one of the most influential people in the world multiple times, and he was co-Person of the Year in 2005 alongside Melinda and Bono.
Little-Known Facts About Bill Gates
- He scored 1590 out of 1600 on his SAT — one of the highest scores in the US that year.
- Gates memorised his employees’ licence plate numbers in Microsoft’s early days to track who was coming and going.
- He is an avid fan of the card game bridge and has played against Warren Buffett; they are close friends who met in 1991.
- He holds the world record for the most charitable donations in history by a single individual — over $60 billion donated as of 2026.
- Before Microsoft, Gates started a company called Traf-O-Data at age 15 to analyse traffic data — his first entrepreneurial venture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bill Gates’ net worth in 2026?
Bill Gates’ net worth is estimated at approximately $130 billion as of 2026, according to Forbes and Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Despite having given away more than $60 billion to charity through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, his Cascade Investment portfolio has continued to generate strong returns, sustaining and even growing his wealth over time.
How did Bill Gates make his money?
Bill Gates made the foundation of his fortune by co-founding Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975 and negotiating the landmark deal to license MS-DOS to IBM in 1980 — while retaining rights to license it to other PC manufacturers. The resulting royalty stream and Microsoft’s subsequent dominance with Windows and Office made him the world’s richest person. Since leaving Microsoft’s day-to-day leadership, his Cascade Investment vehicle has diversified into sectors including railways, agriculture, waste management, and clean energy.
Did Bill Gates really drop out of Harvard?
Yes — Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard University in 1975 after his sophomore year to co-found Microsoft with Paul Allen. He had enrolled in 1973 initially studying pre-law but spent most of his time in the computer science lab. He left on a “leave of absence” and never returned. In 2007, Harvard awarded him an honorary doctorate — 32 years after he departed. Gates has said he doesn’t regret leaving but has been a strong advocate for education and university completion for others.
Is Bill Gates the richest person in the world?
As of 2026, Bill Gates is not the richest person in the world. He typically ranks between 4th and 7th on global wealth rankings behind Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett, depending on stock market movements. Gates held the title of world’s richest person for most of the period from 1995 to 2017, but significant charitable giving and shifts in tech valuations have seen him surpassed by the new generation of tech founders.
How much has Bill Gates donated to charity?
Bill Gates has donated more than $60 billion to charitable causes as of 2026, primarily through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which he co-chairs with his ex-wife Melinda French Gates. The Foundation focuses on global health (eradicating diseases like polio and malaria), global development, education, and emergency response. In 2022 alone, Gates donated approximately $20 billion to the foundation. He has pledged to eventually give away virtually all of his wealth during his lifetime.
What is Bill Gates doing in 2026?
In 2026, Bill Gates remains highly active through Gates Ventures, his personal investment and advisory company, focusing particularly on artificial intelligence, climate change solutions, and global health. He has invested heavily in AI companies including OpenAI, backing technologies he believes can accelerate disease research and education. He continues to write his popular GatesNotes blog, author books, and lead the Gates Foundation’s global health initiatives, including the campaign to eradicate polio and expand access to vaccines in developing nations.
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