Bill Gates Out of Top 10 Richest People After $52 Billion Wealth Drop
Bill Gates out of top 10 richest people a headline that would have been hard to imagine a few years ago. But as of July 2025, Gates has slipped to the 12th position on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with his net worth now at $124 billion. That’s a significant fall from the estimated $175 billion he previously held, largely due to a recalculation that took into account his extensive charitable contributions.
What’s more surprising is that Gates now ranks below Steve Ballmer, his former assistant and Microsoft’s ex-CEO, who currently holds the fifth spot with a fortune of $172 billion. This shift highlights not just the impact of Gates’s philanthropy, but also the incredible financial trajectory of Microsoft stock and Ballmer’s long-term investments.
Bill Gates Out of Top 10 Richest People Steve Ballmer Now Wealthier Than His Former Boss
The reason behind Gates’ sudden exit from the top 10 isn’t a business loss or market crash, but a reflection of his own decisions to give back. Bloomberg revised its estimation to more accurately reflect the $60 billion already donated by Bill and Melinda Gates through their foundation and the projected $200 billion to be spent by 2045, the year when the foundation plans to close operations.
The recalculation reduced Gates’s net worth by $52 billion, almost 30% in just a week. This dramatic shift placed him behind other tech leaders and business giants, including Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang, Warren Buffett, and even Michael Dell.
Interestingly, Steve Ballmer’s rise in the rankings can be traced back to his 4% stake in Microsoft when he left in 2014. Instead of diversifying like Gates and Paul Allen, Ballmer chose to hold on to his Microsoft shares. As the stock soared over the last decade, so did his fortune.
Charitable Vision Behind the Numbers
Gates’s intention to donate almost all of his wealth has been well-known for years. In a blog post earlier this year, he confirmed that he plans to contribute over $200 billion to global health, education, and poverty efforts through the Gates Foundation over the next two decades. He even noted that his personal net worth was around $108 billion, much lower than public estimates.
Currently, Gates holds about 1% of Microsoft shares and has earned over $60 billion in dividends and stock over the years. Much of his remaining fortune is managed through Cascade Investment, which includes stakes in real estate, energy, and both public and private companies.
The Bloomberg Index now uses updated appreciation rates and assumptions that align more closely with Gates’s own declarations, marking a shift in how billionaire wealth is evaluated when significant philanthropic efforts are involved.
The Updated Billionaires List Reflects a New Era
As of July 4, 2025, the top 12 richest individuals globally are:
- 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
- Michael Dell – $138 billion
- Bill Gates – $124 billion
While Gates may have dropped from the billionaire top tier, he leads in another, arguably more meaningful area philanthropy. His giving, combined with Buffett’s $43 billion contribution to the Gates Foundation, positions them as two of the most generous individuals in modern history.
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Conclusion:
The news of Bill Gates out of top 10 richest people may come as a surprise, but it’s rooted in generosity rather than financial loss. His wealth may have declined on paper, but his long-term impact through global health and education is immeasurable. This shift serves as a powerful reminder that true success isn’t just measured in billions sometimes, it’s defined by how much you give away.
